Where to Find Free Help to File Your Taxes

By Aaron Crowe

If the best things in life are free, then free tax help may be the last thing on that list.

Unless you really enjoy working with numbers, preparing your tax returns can be a chore you’d probably rather avoid. Help is available, though often at a cost.

On the plus side, filing your taxes is free — if you can figure out how to fill out the forms accurately. If not, you may want to buy some tax preparation software or hire a tax preparer to do the detailed work for you.

Here are six ways to get free help preparing and filing your taxes:

Free e-file forms from the IRS

The IRS offers free fillable forms that can be completed online. The program operates from January through mid-October, when accounts are erased from the server. Estimated tax payments can be paid online, and tax refunds can be paid through direct deposit to your bank.

For incomes above $64,000, free file fillable forms are available. The forms offer only basic guidance and you must know how to do your taxes yourself. You must have your 2015 tax return available, and state tax prep isn’t available.

Free File

For incomes below $64,000, another IRS program, called Free File, offers help. It works with a dozen tax software companies in the Free File Alliance to provide free tax filing assistance.

The program is geared toward low- and moderate-income taxpayers. Some may have restrictions on age and where you live, and the program will walk you through programs that meet your criteria. After selecting the software that works best for your tax situation, you’ll be transferred from IRS.gov to the company’s website to complete your returns.

If you owe taxes and use a credit card for payment, you’ll have to pay a fee. Filing a state tax return online also requires a fee.

The service is available to 100 million American taxpayers, or about 70 percent of taxpayers, according to the group. In 2017 it is projected to only serve 3 million individual income tax returns.

AARP aide

The AARP Foundation offers free help through its Tax-Aide program that’s run by volunteers.

The program has helped nearly 50 million low- to moderate-income taxpayers since 1968 and is available to anyone 50 and older who can’t afford a tax preparation service.

It’s offered at more than 5,000 locations in libraries, malls, banks, community centers and senior centers. There’s no fee and no sales pitch for other services is given, AARP’s website says. AARP membership isn’t required.

Volunteer Income Tax Association

Known as VITA, this program from the IRS offers free tax help to people who generally make $54,000 or less, persons with disabilities, and limited English speaking taxpayers.

IRS-certified volunteers provide free basic income tax return preparation with electronic filing.

Tax Counseling for the Elderly

The TCE program is another IRS program, offering free help for all taxpayers but focusing on people 60 and older. Its volunteers specialize in questions and pensions and retirement issues that are unique to seniors.

It’s offered at the same types of sites where the AARP program is, and many of the TCE sites are operation by the AARP Tax-Aide volunteers. Some sites also offer free help with Web-based tax prep software to file basic federal and state tax returns.

In the VITA and TCE programs, the IRS recommends reading its list of items to bring to a tax prep session. These include a photo ID, Social Security cards, wage and earning statements such as W-2 forms, and copies of other financial forms.

TurboTax for free

TurboTax’s Absolute Zero is a free edition of its federal tax software that allows taxpayers to file federal 1040A or 1040EZ, and state returns too.

Just like its paid software, the free version walks you through the tax forms and asks questions to find tax credits that apply to you.

You can finish it at one sitting or can pick up later where you left off while it automatically saves your progress as you go.

The free edition is meant for simple tax returns, so if you have a lot of deductions, own investment property or are self-employed, you may want to hire a professional or buy its software.

That’s why much of this free tax prep help is free — it’s simple and is often provided by volunteers.

If your taxes are complicated enough that you cant’ fill out the basic federal income tax forms yourself, or need more than some free help on them, then you may have to bite the bullet and pay a professional to do the work for you.