Don't Pay More For Taxes Than You Have To

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

One Country Project

The unending commercials and ads for tax preparation services are finally over with – for this year.

-snip-

And major corporations – like sharks smelling blood in the water – swoop in to try to get their (unearned) share of your money.

They’ve lobbied for decades to keep the federal tax return process confusing, daunting, and unnavigable so that you’ll choose to pay them for help just to get it over with.

This tax season, President Trump ended the IRS’ pilot program Direct File, which allowed low to moderate income tax filers in certain states file their taxes completely online for free. The program was expanded after its successful first year to include even more states.

https://onecountryproject.substack.com/p/dont-pay-more-for-taxes-than-you

[Trueblue Texan]

1. free fileable forms is still free online...

I think there is a link right from the IRS website. That's where I filed my taxes...on the last day even, already got my refund.

[mahatmakanejeeves]

3. You beat me to it. I learned soon after filing that I needed to file an amended return.

FFFF does not support amended retruns. I had to file that on paper.

Have a great weekend.

[mahatmakanejeeves]

2. I have no problem with that, but you can still file online for free.

The magic words are "Free File Fillable Forms." There is no limit on income level. Not all forms are supported, but I've been using FFFF for the last several years.

Free File Fillable Forms

Suggestion: cross post this thread in the Personal Finance and Investing forum.

Thanks.

[pat_k]

4. FWIW, I've been using FreeTaxUSA for the last 5 years.

It walks you though with simple questions, automates entry of information into the forms, transfers last year's basic information over, and flags things that either deviate a lot from the prior year or seem otherwise problematic.

The only downside is that at the start a dialog box is presented to upgrade to "pro" (live support for questions). I've always refused the offer and I don't think it asks again. While finalizing a dialog box is presented to add something like "audit guard." Same deal. Just clicked No and am not bothered. As long as you don't fall for the offers, it truly is free.

I run a small dog walking business. Aside from Schedule C, the only things that might be considered a "complication" are that I have a big NOL to carry forward from a rental property that is gone and use actual expenses and depreciation for my vehicle expense. There are a couple forms that FreeTaxUSA generates, like the AMT form -- not sure what triggers them, I make way under the threshold, but the calculation is always that the alternative or the adjustment doesn't apply to me so I stopped worrying about it. Some sort of inclusion for completeness I guess.

Anyway, I wouldn't hesitate to recommend FreeTaxUSA with a warning not to accept any offered "extras"