Put to the test: Free tax-filing site by IRS
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Like most people, Christine Stangarone used to hire a tax preparer. But this year, she decided to go it alone.
"I was trying to minimize costs and figure out how I could do it on my own," she said.
Her first stop: the government website, freefile.irs.gov. Anyone can use it to prepare and file federal tax forms at no cost. And for taxpayers whose adjusted gross income is $58,000 or less, it offers a lot more free help.
"The IRS has partnered with private companies that offer tax software to walk you through your federal returns," said Tobie Stanger of Consumer Reports.
Free File lists software programs from all the big companies, including H & R Block and Turbotax.
Stanger worked with Stangarone to see how easy they are to use. Not surprisingly, it pays to enter data carefully. Stangarone spotted a mistake she made that could have cost her plenty.
"Even a small mistake can make a difference in what you get back, so you have to be careful," Stanger said. "But all the programs will let you stop, check things, and have things perfect before you file."
All the programs Consumer Reports tried through the Free File website were fairly simple.
"If you don't need to itemize - and about 70 percent of Americans don't - this is a fairly straightforward process," Stanger said.
And it's fast. Stanger was finished preparing her returns and filing them for free in about an hour.
There's another good reason to prepare and file your taxes online. If you have direct deposit, your refund could be processed in just 10 days, compared with four to six weeks for mailed returns.
"I was trying to minimize costs and figure out how I could do it on my own," she said.
Her first stop: the government website, freefile.irs.gov. Anyone can use it to prepare and file federal tax forms at no cost. And for taxpayers whose adjusted gross income is $58,000 or less, it offers a lot more free help.
"The IRS has partnered with private companies that offer tax software to walk you through your federal returns," said Tobie Stanger of Consumer Reports.
Free File lists software programs from all the big companies, including H & R Block and Turbotax.
Stanger worked with Stangarone to see how easy they are to use. Not surprisingly, it pays to enter data carefully. Stangarone spotted a mistake she made that could have cost her plenty.
"Even a small mistake can make a difference in what you get back, so you have to be careful," Stanger said. "But all the programs will let you stop, check things, and have things perfect before you file."
All the programs Consumer Reports tried through the Free File website were fairly simple.
"If you don't need to itemize - and about 70 percent of Americans don't - this is a fairly straightforward process," Stanger said.
And it's fast. Stanger was finished preparing her returns and filing them for free in about an hour.
There's another good reason to prepare and file your taxes online. If you have direct deposit, your refund could be processed in just 10 days, compared with four to six weeks for mailed returns.
