Thumbs Up for FreeTaxUSA

[TromboneAl]

Just efiled with FreeTaxUSA.com for the second year in a row (online).

Nice interface, and because they had last year's return, lots of things were ready to fill in, with the values for last year displayed for comparison.

Recommended.

 

[GravitySucks]

They charge anything for State or to print a copy?

 

[harley]

I read the title wrong, but I'd give two thumbs up for a Tax Free USA.

 

[gauss]

Can anyone use this service, or are there restrictions (ie income, age etc.)?

-gauss

 

[TromboneAl]

$13 for the state version. Free to print, I think. No restrictions that I saw.

 

[GravitySucks]

DD was using the free version of TurboTax and it would not let her print without upgrading to the $39.99 version and it didn't spell that restriction out until the very end.
We were not amused.

 

[donheff]

DD was using the free version of TurboTax and it would not let her print without upgrading to the $39.99 version and it didn't spell that restriction out until the very end.
We were not amused.

Did she check to see if it allowed her to save a PDF copy?

 

[camfused]

OP, do they say how they use your data? Why is it free?

 

[frank]

I use taxhawk. free federal, 12.95 for state and you can get a 25 percent code just about anywhere to make it 9.95 have used it for 5 years and it keeps the previous years and does comparisons. really good software.

 

[samclem]

OP, do they say how they use your data? Why is it free?

It sounds like they make money by selling the deluxe version of their federal program ($7), all versions of their state programs cost money ($13), by showing you ads as you do your taxes, and (maybe) by pushing ads to you (see below).

Their privacy policy is a buried a bit, but available here.

In part:

We partner with a third party to manage our advertising on other sites. Our third party partner may use technologies such as cookies to gather information about your activities on this site and other sites in order to provide you advertising based upon your browsing activities and interests. If you wish to not have this information used for the purpose of serving you interest-based ads, you may opt-out by clicking here. Please note this does not opt you out of being served ads. You will continue to receive generic ads.
. . ..
Third parties with whom we partner to provide certain features on our website or to display advertising based upon your web browsing activity also use HTML5 to collect and store information. Various browsers may offer their own management tools for removing HTML5.

 

[jimbee]

I used FreeTaxUSA last year, and it worked well. I found an error this year with the way it handled a return of overwithholding on an HSA account, so I couldn't use it. I ended up using IRS Free Fillable Forms. FreeTaxUSA contacted me about a month later, apologize for not fixing my problem, and offered me a 50$ gift card.

Taxhawk and FreeTaxUSA are the same company.

Use FREETAXUSA10 for a 10% discount.

 

[CaptTom]

The IRS Free Fillable Forms has worked great for me the last two years. And my state has a free on-line system, too. Admittedly, my taxes are somewhat simple to prepare.

To simplify things, I take notes (in a plain ol' text document) listing each line number and value I enter. That helps me verify things as I go, and next year gives me something to compare to.

 

[RetireAge50]

[emoji106] and truly free for me since I have no state return.

 

[GravitySucks]

Did she check to see if it allowed her to save a PDF copy?

She said it would not. I did not check though. She ended up paying at the end. If she paid in the beginning TT would have auto filled much from last year's forms.
I will recommend she use freetaxusa next year.
I am a bit disgusted with TT but I get the comped version from Fido so I keep using it. The constant sales pitches for upgrade this and that when filling it out drives me to a rage!

 

[dvalley]

Yep, I used it for 2017 return for the first time because everyone else jacked their prices up for no apparent reason. Couldn't be happier.

My journey:

TurboTax (1999-2012) -> TaxAct (2013-2016) -> FreeTaxUSA (2017-??)

 

[wmc1000]

I switched from FreeTaxUSA.com to OLT.com, (OnlineTaxes), due to qualifying for free state tax by going through our state website, (Indiana), first. There were qualifications for this and they had several vendors with various offers depending on income, etc.

 

[TromboneAl]

OP, do they say how they use your data? Why is it free?

The sell it to a company called Cambridge Ana-something.

 

[FUEGO]

Used FreeTaxesUSA efile for the first time ever after using the pdfs you can fill in then printing it out and mailing it in since the 1990s.

It was all free for me, state and federal. I think it's free if your income is under $53,000 or $70,000 or something (my AGI was $42k-ish). I don't think it handled the self employment insurance deduction and ACA Premium Tax Credit properly (it's super confusing and requires an iterative loop to get the right value) but I tricked it into what I think is a valid result (and maybe the IRS won't be able to tell if I'm wrong).


Easy to use online software.

 

[OHjosh]

My friend did not want to efile state. You can view it but you cannot print it out. You ahve to take the numbers and hand write it.

 

[CaptTom]

I am a bit disgusted with TT but I get the comped version from Fido so I keep using it. The constant sales pitches for upgrade this and that when filling it out drives me to a rage!

My disgust with TT started many, many years ago at the dawn of the home computer age. They bought out an entire company which sold (among other things) the tax package that I used and liked. Then they discontinued the competing package (which was about half the price of TT) and sold off the rest of the company.

Maybe I'm holding a grudge, but even after all these years I just can't bring myself to ever give that company any of my hard-earned money.

 

[Sarah in SC]

I used DIY Tax the past two years and was fairly happy with it. I’m not remotely a tax expert, and the schedule C thanks to DH managing a few jobs here and there was a struggle but getting better.
Totally free for both Fed and State, I always mail to the feds and file online with the state.

 

[Boho]

I read this BBB review from 2016. ("FreeTaxUSA, a TaxHawk, Inc. owned and operated website)"

https://www.bbb.org/utah/business-r...omplaints?section=reviews&reviewtype=negative

If you're retired, as I am, taxhawk will not e-file your Federal taxes, as it's all zeros. No big deal. However, they also will not e-file your State taxes if they don't e-file you Federal taxes. Unfortunately, they don't make you aware of this until AFTER you pay them. It seems fraudulent and predatory, considering these stipulations are NOT clearly mentioned before you pay them. After it's all said and done, the Returns that you print off all say "SELF-PREPARED" which is clearly a lie, as I just paid them to 'prepare' it.

Other reviews also complain that they didn't e-file. And if their software makes a mistake, the "SELF-PREPARED" notice sounds like it would get them off the hook and increase your liability, if they're still printing that on the forms. Also, I expect to be partially self-employed and a previous post says:

I don't think it handled the self employment insurance deduction and ACA Premium Tax Credit properly (it's super confusing and requires an iterative loop to get the right value)

If that's true then it's not right for me.

I rejected TT because I wanted to file for an extension and it wasn't clear that what I was filling out would eventually lead to the option, plus their search didn't help. It just gave me their phone number. Still, I guess I'll reconsider them because I'm seeing bad things about every other company I considered so far.

 

[Philliefan33]

For those of you looking for a free tax return, let me put in a plug for the AARP Tax Foundation. Trained and tested volunteers will prepare your federal, state, and local (at some sites) returns at no cost to you.

The program is geared toward senior citizens and low- to moderate-income taxpayers, but we do not turn anyone away unless their return is out of scope. For example, we can’t do rental properties, businesses that carry inventory, or businesses that have a net loss. We routinely handle itemized deductions, capital gains, Schedule C income, and ACA calculations.

 

[Boho]

I rejected TT because I wanted to file for an extension and it wasn't clear that what I was filling out would eventually lead to the option, plus their search didn't help. It just gave me their phone number. Still, I guess I'll reconsider them because I'm seeing bad things about every other company I considered so far.

I know I waited a bit long but I was ready to take care of my tax return with TurboTax and discovered it's no longer listed among the Free File software companies. So now...do I go to the TurboTax website and try to confirm that I could still use it for free or assume I can't and chose one of those that are listed? This is the kind of thing that makes me procrastinate but I better decide and take care of it.

I saved April's version of https://www.irs.gov/filing/free-file-everyone-can-file-an-extension-for-free because I may procrastinate but I'm good at documentation:

You can use any of the following Free File software companies to prepare and e-file an extension for free.

This applies only for filing an extension. If you want to use Free File Software to file your return, your adjusted gross income cannot exceed $66,000. For those above $66,000, use Free File Fillable Forms.

...

https://www.irs.gov/filing/free-file-everyone-can-file-an-extension-for-free

The providers are not listed in any particular order

1040NOW.NET
No age or residency restrictions.

Free TaxACT® Free File
No age or residency restrictions.

TaxSlayer
No age or residency restrictions.

Free Tax Return.com
No age or residency restrictions.

FileYourTaxes.com
No age or residency restrictions.

1040.com Free File Edition
No age or residency restrictions.

TurboTax ® All Free (SM)
No age or residency restrictions.

FreeTaxUSA® Totally Free
No age or residency restrictions.

Online Taxes at OLT.com
No age or residency restrictions.


Page Last Reviewed or Updated: 17-Apr-2018

And this is the current version that excludes TurboTax:

Can I still use Free File?

Yes, you can! If you got an extension or you still need to e-file your 2017 federal return, you can use Free File to prepare and e-file your return for free.

You can use any of the following Free File software companies to prepare and e-file an extension for free.

This applies only for filing an extension. If you want to use Free File Software to file your return, your adjusted gross income cannot exceed $66,000. For those above $66,000, use Free File Fillable Forms.

The providers are not listed in any particular order

1040NOW.NET
No age or residency restrictions.

FileYourTaxes.com
No age or residency restrictions.

TaxSlayer
No age or residency restrictions.

Free TaxACT® Free File - Processing Extensions for Foreign Filers Only
No age or residency restrictions.

Online Taxes at OLT.com
No age or residency restrictions.

FreeTaxUSA® Totally Free
No age or residency restrictions.

Page Last Reviewed or Updated: 01-Jul-2018

 

[Souschef]

For those of you looking for a free tax return, let me put in a plug for the AARP Tax Foundation. Trained and tested volunteers will prepare your federal, state, and local (at some sites) returns at no cost to you.

The program is geared toward senior citizens and low- to moderate-income taxpayers, but we do not turn anyone away unless their return is out of scope. For example, we can’t do rental properties, businesses that carry inventory, or businesses that have a net loss. We routinely handle itemized deductions, capital gains, Schedule C income, and ACA calculations.

Way to go Philliefan!
I have been volunteering preparing taxes through the AARP Tax Foundation for a number of tears. It is free!