Conquer Tax Season for Free Without Leaving the Comfort of Your Couch
Disclosure: We’re letting you know that this post contains sponsored links which The Smart Wallet receives compensation for, which may impact their order of appearance. This site doesn’t include all available offers.
You can put it off as long as you want, but April 15 is coming quick. Tax Day is just around the corner, but filing your taxes doesn’t need to be a struggle this year.
Instead of going out of your way to meet with a tax professional in person, you can complete the entire process online. And better yet, it might not cost you anything to do it.
Instead of using an overwhelming, overpriced tax service, you can master tax season this year with these services. If your state requires you to file an income tax return you may have to pay a small fee to use these sites, but otherwise, you can file your taxes for free.
Most services below also offer discounts to military members, so be sure to capitalize on that if you’ve served.
1. H&R Block
For many people filing their taxes, H&R Block offers one of the simplest free programs. You can file your federal and state taxes for free with their program, and H&R Block promises to maximize your refund.
If you file online, you also have the option to receive your tax return in the form of gift cards, which also comes with a 5% bonus.
2. TaxSlayer
TaxSlayer offers a number of tax services, but the Simply Free option lets you file a 1040EZ and state return for free.
If you’re not sure what service works for you, TaxSlayer can walk you through what you qualify for and offer cost-effective options.
3. TurboTax
TurboTax will let you file your federal and state taxes online for free if you have a simple tax return. Just upload your W-2 and you’re on your way to a potential tax refund.
If you don’t own any property, stock, or businesses, TurboTax could be perfect for you.
4. FreeTaxUSA
Although FreeTaxUSA charges a small fee to file state taxes, their free federal tax filings are second to none. Their free service covers everything from homeownership to small business income. Even the deluxe filing option costs just $6.99.
5. United Way MyFreeTaxes
The United Way, a charitable non-profit, partners with H&R Block to offer this free tax filing program that helps millions of Americans every year.
If your household earnings in 2018 totaled less than $66,000, MyFreeTaxes.com can help you file your state and federal taxes for free.
6. TaxAct
TaxAct‘s free online tax filing is available to anyone who only needs to file a 1040EZ/A. If you qualify, you can file your federal and state returns online for free.
For An Added Cash Back Bonus
By downloading Ebates (iOS or Android) you can get cashback on purchases you make with nearly all of these tax services. Ebates offers cash back deals on hundreds of thousands of purchases, for example, a 25% off coupon for FreeTaxUSA.
For an extra chunk of cash in addition to your refund this year, use Ebates to get even more money back from your taxes, even in your preparation!
All in all, tax season can be overwhelming and stressful for millions of Americans. With the right tools at your disposal though, you can get some peace of mind with your taxes this year.
