20:
51:(AGI) of $ 73,000 or less for tax year 2022 to qualify, but participating companies can set their own requirements and restrictions. The IRS Free File program is a compromise between the IRS and for-profit tax software companies that enables lower and middle-income filers to file their taxes for free while ensuring the IRS does not develop its own free-to-use tax software that would compete with private, for-profit tax software companies.
65:
As of the 2021 tax filing season, the two most used tax-filing software programs (TurboTax and H&R Block) no longer participate in the Free File program. With the two largest members of the Free File
Alliance ending their participation in the Free File Program, there have been renewed calls for
182:
The Free File
Alliance has taken deliberate steps to hide its free services so that most filers continue to use paid tax preparation services. Methods used by the FFA to hide its free services and steer filers towards paid services include deliberately hiding free services from
344:
162:, the FFA's executive director. In 2019, for example, only 2.7% of the 104 million taxpayers eligible for Free File used it, while 34.5 million taxpayers eligible for Free File actually paid for tax software offered by companies in the Free File Alliance.
220:, which could offer its own tax preparation service or introduce return-free filing. In exchange for Intuit, H&R Block, and other members providing Free File options, the IRS was restricted from providing its own free filing tool.
187:
search results, deceptively marketing commercial tax preparation services as free and then upselling users paid services even when they are eligible for Free File, not including links to Free File services on their websites
223:
In 2020, the rule barring the IRS from designing its own filing service was lifted and providers were prohibited from hiding Free File options from search results. Despite publicly announcing their support for the changes,
174:
found that "the process taxpayers must follow to participate in the Free File
Program is obscure and complex, and there is a lack of adequate advertising and oversight of the Program by the IRS".
937:
761:
826:
660:
62:. While many of the Free File Companies offer free state income tax returns, some companies do charge additional fees of $ 10 to $ 30 to electronically file state returns.
700:
74:
For tax year 2023, there were 8 participating
Alliance members with the following requirements to qualify to use their software for free under the Free File program:
494:
99:, AGI of $ 44,000 or less (or less than $ 79,000 if active duty military) or eligible for the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC). Free state return in some states.
793:
947:
437:
What's the catch? As far as we can tell, there isn't one... This is a service provided by the charitable organization United Way to anyone and everyone.
586:
560:
556:
171:
610:
268:
449:
158:
In a typical year, about 70% of filers (roughly 100 million people) are eligible to use Free File, but only about three million do, according to
751:
414:
148:
816:
726:
625:
942:
520:
650:
316:
927:
690:
375:
253:
481:
932:
244:
from the program, after half of Free File users making ancillary purchases stated their purchases were not intended.
216:
reported that tax preparation agencies used the Free File
Alliance to head off the potential "encroachment" by the
263:
783:
357:
543:
93:, AGI of $ 79,000 or less AND age between 20 and 58 or active military. Free state return in some states.
32:
291:
87:, AGI of $ 45,000 or less (or less than $ 79,000 if active duty military). Free state return included.
544:"Complexity and Insufficient Oversight of the Free File Program Result in Low Taxpayer Participation"
241:
489:
217:
36:
139:, which sells targeted advertising based on return data, are unrelated to the Free File program.
55:
47:
to United States taxpayers meeting certain guidelines. The IRS stipulates filers must have an
48:
848:
105:, AGI between $ 8,500 and $ 79,000 AND age 64 or younger. Free state return in some states.
8:
58:
registered as Free File, Inc., and based in
Clifton, Virginia. Its executive director is
196:
to push users towards paid services, and using confusing naming practices (for example,
525:
389:
856:
651:"TurboTax intentionally hides its free tax filing service from Google search results"
604:
457:
422:
240:
In 2007, Alliance members agreed to remove controversial ancillary offerings such as
587:"Inside TurboTax's 20-Year Fight to Stop Americans From Filing Their Taxes for Free"
727:"The IRS is done letting TurboTax easily steer you away from filing taxes for free"
340:
880:
117:, AGI of $ 79,000 or less AND resident of certain states. No free state returns.
111:, AGI of $ 68,000 or less AND resident of certain states. No free state returns.
108:
84:
102:
921:
860:
752:"IRS Reforms Free File Program, Drops Agreement Not to Compete With TurboTax"
461:
426:
66:
the IRS to develop and offer its own free tax-filing software to taxpayers.
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229:
193:
192:
Free File service, for instance, was not available on TurboTax.com), using
114:
96:
78:
821:
817:"TurboTax-Maker Intuit Will Leave Free Tax Filing Partnership With IRS"
756:
695:
258:
213:
132:
90:
40:
123:, AGI between $ 17,000 and $ 79,000. Free state return in some states.
691:"Here's How TurboTax Just Tricked You Into Paying to File Your Taxes"
655:
450:"Review | When tax prep is free, you may be paying with your privacy"
44:
19:
912:
376:"The IRS has a big opportunity to fix the way Americans file taxes"
197:
189:
159:
120:
59:
626:"TurboTax Deliberately Hid Its Free File Page From Search Engines"
177:
788:
232:, announced that they would be leaving the Free File Alliance.
225:
209:
184:
128:
149:
Tax preparation in the United States § Impact of lobbying
881:"RALs Removed on Free File; 93 Million Eligible for Program"
212:, and guided by a former lobbyist for the company. In 2019,
127:
The free state and federal tax filing services provided by
136:
938:
Public–private partnership projects in the United States
31:
is a group of tax preparation companies which operate a
849:"No More Loan Solicitations in Free Tax-Filing Program"
16:
Group of tax preparation companies in the United States
208:
The Free File
Alliance (FFA) was largely organized by
81:, AGI of $ 45,000 or less. Free state return included.
200:
called its Free File service the "Freedom
Edition").
689:Elliot, Justin; Waldron, Lucas (April 22, 2019).
557:Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration
269:Public-private partnerships in the United States
172:Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration
919:
750:Elliot, Justin; Kiel, Paul (December 31, 2019).
688:
521:"Navigating the Many Offers of Free Tax Help"
314:
178:Deliberate efforts to hide Free File services
815:Elliot, Justin; Kiel, Paul (July 16, 2021).
609:: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (
170:A 2019 audit of the Free File system by the
292:"Free File: Do your Federal Taxes for Free"
131:, sponsored by the charitable organization
69:
948:Non-profit organizations based in Virginia
814:
749:
358:"Reviews of Free Tax Preparation Programs"
317:"File your taxes free, but read carefully"
235:
390:"IRS Free File Online: Browse All Offers"
724:
153:
18:
920:
796:from the original on November 19, 2021
518:
829:from the original on December 3, 2021
784:"Strengthening the Free File Program"
764:from the original on December 3, 2021
720:
718:
703:from the original on December 3, 2021
684:
682:
680:
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663:from the original on October 11, 2021
648:
578:
566:from the original on October 18, 2021
538:
536:
500:from the original on December 1, 2021
415:"The Best Online Tax Filing Software"
355:
362:thebalance.comaccess-date=2016-09-04
286:
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254:Tax preparation in the United States
228:(the maker of TurboTax), as well as
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203:
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13:
715:
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533:
14:
959:
943:501(c)(4) nonprofit organizations
906:
356:Perez, William (August 5, 2016).
281:
913:http://www.freefilealliance.org/
855:. Associated Press. 2006-12-06.
584:
519:Carrns, Ann (February 3, 2017).
482:"Do Your Federal Taxes For Free"
315:phuong_cat_le (March 20, 2008).
873:
841:
808:
776:
743:
649:Welch, Chris (April 26, 2019).
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264:Income tax in the United States
725:Chaudhry, Aliya (2020-01-01).
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928:Taxation in the United States
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585:Kiel, Justin Elliott,Paul.
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33:public-private partnership
242:refund anticipation loans
933:Internal Revenue Service
888:Internal Revenue Service
490:Internal Revenue Service
394:Internal Revenue Service
296:Internal Revenue Service
70:Current Alliance members
54:Free File Alliance is a
37:Internal Revenue Service
236:Paid ancillary services
85:Online Taxes at OLT.COM
43:services under the IRS
56:501(c)(4) organization
39:(IRS) to provide free
24:
792:. December 30, 2019.
154:Significant under-use
49:adjusted gross income
41:electronic tax filing
22:
559:. February 3, 2020.
853:The New York Times
526:The New York Times
419:The New York Times
29:Free File Alliance
25:
890:. 5 December 2006
624:Elliott, Justin.
378:. 13 August 2021.
103:FileYourTaxes.com
45:Free File program
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892:. Retrieved
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833:December 6,
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707:December 6,
667:December 6,
570:December 6,
504:December 6,
129:MyFreeTaxes
109:1040NOW.net
922:Categories
866:2021-02-25
822:ProPublica
757:ProPublica
736:2021-01-10
696:ProPublica
635:2021-01-10
630:ProPublica
596:2021-01-10
591:ProPublica
467:2021-07-09
432:2021-07-09
301:2023-02-16
275:References
259:IRS e-file
214:ProPublica
190:TurboTax's
147:See also:
133:United Way
91:TaxAct.com
861:0362-4331
731:The Verge
656:The Verge
462:0190-8286
427:0362-4331
345:452609992
326:April 12,
143:Criticism
35:with the
827:Archived
794:Archived
762:Archived
701:Archived
661:Archived
605:cite web
561:Archived
495:Archived
248:See also
198:TurboTax
160:Tim Hugo
137:Cash App
121:1040.com
60:Tim Hugo
859:
789:Intuit
460:
425:
399:16 Feb
343:
226:Intuit
210:Intuit
185:Google
135:, and
884:(PDF)
564:(PDF)
547:(PDF)
498:(PDF)
485:(PDF)
896:2021
857:ISSN
835:2021
802:2021
770:2021
709:2021
669:2021
611:link
572:2021
506:2021
458:ISSN
423:ISSN
401:2024
328:2019
27:The
23:Logo
341:EIN
218:IRS
924::
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Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
