Until October 2029, the IRS will continue offering the Free File program for tax filing through its partners enabling individuals to file taxes for free with recent changes in 2020 aiming to prevent tax companies from concealing free services resulting in major companies like TurboTax and H&R Block exiting the Free File program.
IRS Extends Free File Program Until October 2029 – Offering Tax Filing Assistance Without Charge Through Partners
According to the published article in The Verge, the IRS will let people use the Free File program for free until October 2029. This Free File program helps people file their taxes without paying, and it’s done through partners of the IRS. Recently, there was a change in 2020 to stop tax companies from hiding free services, which made big companies like TurboTax and H&R Block leave. TurboTax’s owner Intuit had to pay $141 million for not giving free services to low-income people according to New York Attorney General Letitia James.
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IRS Free File Program – Over 20 Years of Assistance Expanding Options for Taxpayers Across Income Levels
Furthermore, the Free File program has existed for over 20 years. If you earn $79,000 or less you can use online tax software for free. If you earn more than that you can still use forms provided by the IRS for free. This year, the IRS is working with companies like 1040Now and TaxSlayer to offer free tax preparation. Last year, the IRS got almost 3 million tax returns through the Free File program, which was a bit more than the year before. They also started a new service called Direct File where you can file your taxes directly with the IRS but it’s only in 13 states for now.