FREE Tax Preparation Software

[kannon]

Anyone know what tax preparation software is available for FREE to pull together all of your information and provide completed forms without e-filing?

What I like to do is prepare all necessary forms and just send them in myself to avoid the e-filing expenses.

I tried the online Turbo Tax, which was nice, but when I put in all of the information, I could not get a print out of my federal tax forms unless I paid to e-file.

Just trying to save a few dollars.

Thanks

Kannon

 

[Souschef]

If you can get them on the screen, you can do a screen print or use the snipping tool.

 

[rbmrtn]

IRS freefile, https://www.irs.gov/uac/Free-File:-Do-Your-Federal-Taxes-for-Free

If you qualify , you can e-file free or just use the software

If you don't qualify for the software, there free e-file fillable forms (Fed only)

 

[Sue J]

I've used FreeTaxUSA® FREE Tax Filing, Online Return Preparation, E-file Income Taxes for many years. I know you can see the prepared return but it may say DRAFT all over it in a watermark.

It really is FREE to file online with them. There may be a income limit. I always file with them for free, they show me my state return but I'd have to pay to file the state so I use my state site instead.

 

[MBSC]

On Line Taxes (Free Federal efile/free print state) : https://www.olt.com/main/home/default.asp
Free Federal & State efile if income between $13k-$62k: http://www.olt.com/main/oltfree/default.asp

Click the 'view/print' button on their screen for a PDF copy without watermark. Supports K-1 Form 1065.

I have not tried these so I do not know if you can view/print the state return for free:
http://www.freetaxusa.com/
http://www.taxhawk.com/

 

[gauss]

https://www.freetax.com/ aka DIY Tax.

I think they will allow a free federal E-file -- no income limit.

FWIW - They are owned by Liberty Tax.

-gauss

 

[Youngster]

I looked into this yesterday, and did not find an answer. I wanted to just fill out the form, without my SSN, and then add the ssn and then mail it in. I did not feel comfortable putting my ssn on-line like that, if I don't have to.

 

[jpjr]

E-file vs snail-mail / Identity theft

Two years ago my info was hacked when I E-filed. Last year I used TAXACT to process my taxes, and printed out the forms for both Fed and State taxes. Although I have received a PIN from the feds for this year's filing, I probably will still do it the old fashion way and print out the forms and send them via snail-mail. Our taxes are not overly complicated so this should work for us.

 

[LOL!]

The best deals are no longer free. Instead, the best deals are when they PAY YOU to use their software. Here is how it works: Only buy software that pays a bonus rebate and make sure you get the rebate.

For instance, last year TurboTax and this year HRBlock had deals where if you use your refund to buy a gift card, the amount of the gift card will be increased by 10%. So a $500 refund becomes $550 to spend at reasonable places such as Amazon, Kohl's, etc. The $50 extra more than pays for the software. Some folks even make extra tax payments to get a larger refund.

The days of giving the government an interest-free loan are over. One wants to get a 10% return on their money for a few months.

I think a $10 version of HRBlock was posted here on the forum somewhere, too.

 

[gauss]

@LOL, I would be interested in a link to a deal such as this, in particular where the max amount of the rebate can exceed the price of the software.

 

[gauss]

I looked into this yesterday, and did not find an answer. I wanted to just fill out the form, without my SSN, and then add the ssn and then mail it in. I did not feel comfortable putting my ssn on-line like that, if I don't have to.

How about the downloadable pdf tax forms provided by irs.gov?

I believe they have fields where you can type in whatever numbers you like and then print out the form from you own computer if you load them into a copy of Acrobat Reader on your pc.

You will, of course, need to come up with what numbers to put on what lines and what forms to file.

This capability has been available for at least a decade, maybe two.

-gauss

 

[Youngster]

Thanks, gauss. I'll look into it.