What's the best site for free filing of federal taxes?

[prolesunited]

I went to the IRS site and I easily qualify for free e-file, but there was such a long list of sites, it was overwhelming and confusing?

Who offers the best deal for e-filing state forms?

I normally buy the tax prep software, but really would like to do it free this year.

Anyone do it this way? How did it go and who did you use?

[BadgerKid]

1. You're around Chicagoland?

Free Illinois filing: https://www.revenue.state.il.us/app/ifile/

[prolesunited]

4. Actually, I live right on the border on the Indiana side

[elocs]

2. If you waited this long why not wait until next week?

After all, doing your taxes a week ahead of time is hardly sporting, is it? :shrug:

[prolesunited]

3. Thanks for the snark

It was helpful.

[elocs]

9. I thought maybe you liked the rush of leaving it to the last minute.

Some people really enjoy that, but this isn't quite the last minute yet.

[prolesunited]

21. Well, I will admit to driving to the post office before midnight

or the day of before e-file. I don't like the stress of that anymore. This is me being early.

Maybe that's my sensitivity to your response. Sorry if I was being short with you.

[elocs]

23. Since I get money back I always file as soon as I can

so I can get the money as soon as I can. Actually this year for the first time ever I paid someone to do my taxes since for the first time I was self employed. It cost me about $150 but they got me back over $1200 so it made me wonder if in past years I could have gotten more by not doing them myself.

[ecstatic]

5. To get to turbotax's free version:

http://turbotax.intuit.com/taxfreedom/ (or www.taxfreedom.com)

I haven't had any issues with them yet!

[MrCoffee]

6. I had trouble with turbotax free...

They wouldn't let me enter a 1099-MISC on the free version.

[ecstatic]

7. It might be due to the link you started from. They allow it on the tax freedom

project but I'm not sure if they would allow it if you go to their main url and start the free version there.

[MrCoffee]

11. Ah...that could very well explain it.

Thanks!

[Kali]

14. I use this too.

and they can handle some pretty complex stuff - we have farm income and self employment from another business, plus regular wages. I have used it for 3 or 4 years now. Most states are free now too. Go through the IRS site as mentioned.

[Blue Diadem]

8. I used HR Block's free efile this year for fed.

You can do a long form with it too. I guess it has it's limitations but it worked fine for me and we do a long form. It automatically figured in schedule M as well.

Previously I'd been under the assumption that it was for short forms only so we paid $40 every year for their other program. The free program won't keep your info so you can import it next year but I didn't think that was a big deal.

Our state offers free e-file at their state website. Reminds me I have to do that yet.

You might want to check your state and see if they offer it as well.

[Blue Diadem]

12. The free file is under DIY

There's a link(learn more) under the free one that will give you more info. Under most tax forms supported, there's a link that tells you what forms/schedules it has available.

[tridim]

10. Just did mine here..

www.freefilefillableforms.org

The IRS accepted it within 12 hours.

[GoCubsGo]

13. Check your state's Dept. of Revenue web site

They will give yo a list of places for e-filing. Some will do state for free if you qualify. I used TaxHawk

[Zenlitened]

15. See the IRS website for links, descriptions of your options, etc:

http://www.irs.gov/efile/article/0,,id=118986,00.html?portlet=8

[prolesunited]

17. That's what I looked and why I was confused

Too many options and I just wanted to know what worked for others

[Zenlitened]

18. Oops, sorry. It'd help if I read past the subject line, huh? :)

Mea culpa. :hi:

[prolesunited]

20. No, thanks for the effort.

:hi:

I just hate this time of year and always put it off, though I'm likely getting a refund. I always have weird issues to figure out.

[Lugnut]

16. We use FreeTax USA.

I've been using this for a few years with no problems.

[hobbit709]

19. TaxAct09 worked for me.

[Another Bill C.]

22. I've used TaxAct for several years.

taxact.com

[TreasonousBastard]

24. It changes every year, and to get free filing you should go through the IRS...

links to tax preparers. Even if you've used them before and get the emails from them, you might not get a free return if you just go directly to their site

Note the qualifiers-- income, age, states, military, 1099 or corporate income... Because they are required to do a number of free ones in order to be IRS recommended for paid returns, they play cute with who they will do for free. Few, if any, of them do free state filing any more, so you have to dig around for the cheapest one.

I used Turbo Tax two years ago, but they raised the state price so I used Tax Slayer last year. I'm still not sure who I'll use this year, but both of them were very simple to use and got me more money back (legitimately) than I expected.

(I don't think it would be wise to use a service NOT recommended by the IRS when there are so many that are.)