It's tax season and that means gathering all the paperwork that is required for you to document and submit. However, you might not need to excert that much energy this year. Putting modern technology to good use, the IRS and Free File Alliance has created "Free File".
IRS Commissioner John Koskinen released a statement saying:
Free File software can help walk you through the steps and help you get it right.
Free File is an online form launched in order for you to file your income tax returns. The software can be used immediately just so you can get started but the e-filed returns won't be transmitted to the IRS until Tuesday when tax filing officially starts.
Who is eligible for Free File? Taxpayers with an adjusted gross income of $62,000 or less are eligible for Free File. In this income bracket alone, about 100 million Americans are categorized under this group.
Those taxpayers who have more than $62,000 earnings can still access the Free File Fillable forms which is the electronic version of the IRS's paper files.
The online site IRS.gov/FreeFile, as explained by Free File Alliance executive director Tom Hugo, is the one venue where taxpayers can choose from various industry-leading tax software options in order to prepare and file their federal taxes electronically at no cost.
If you need assistance online, there is also a "Help Me" tool.
In addition, there is a healthcare section where taxpayers can check a box to report health-care coverage for the year.
Koskinen warns taxpayers of tax-season scam artists making calls and pretending to be from the IRS. They will make angry calls asking for payments. They will make a lot of effort to steal the taxpayer's identitiy and money. Koskinen said that the IRS does not make such phone calls to demand immediate payment as they normally mail first. The IRS also does not ask credit card and bank account related information.
The deadline for this year's federal tax submissions is on April 18, Monday, as reported online.
