https://www.freetaxusa.
https://irs.treasury.go
https://myfreetaxes.com/
https://cash.app/taxes
Free options are really good - I'd start with the IRS site first ( irs.treasury.gov/freetaxprep )
But if your income excludes you from the free options, if you know someone who has bought TurboTax (or probably some other commercial tax prep software packages), you can install it and use it to generate your forms, but not e-file through it. I did this last year as my taxes were a little more complicated than usual. I didn't enter my real name or social security number in TurboTax. I just entered garbage in those fields, then entered into TurboTax all the info needed to generate my tax forms, and generated my forms. Then I just copied everything over to the IRS's free fillable forms and submitted digitally. I could have just mailed the forms, also. You might be able to do this for your state forms, too.
Free File Fillable forms is a lot like starting with the paper forms, except it does the math, and pulls relevant info in from other forms you've completed. You don't get the help you get from the commercial software, and it's not quite as user friendly. But, I feel like I understand how taxes work better as a result. The commercial software makes doing taxes feel like a little bit of a black box, and it makes it harder to catch any errors or misunderstandings you might have about the information you're supposed to enter into TurboTax. Not everyone wants to understand what's going on, but it can actually pay off - help you understand better how to minimize taxes, motivate you to put more money into pre-tax retirement options (thereby keeping you in a lower tax bracket), etc. I started doing my own taxes by hand when I was 16, and have never paid anyone (or for software) to do them.
For certain more complicated tax situations or higher incomes, you might not be able to use Free File Fillable forms.
IRS is supposed to be developing better free software that doesn't involve interfacing with commercial companies .. I think I read they were going to make that available to some people this year.
By the way, I'd suggest thinking twice before allowing commercial tax prep software to access your financial accounts directly to pull information ... or if you do, change your financial sites' passwords after you do that.
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Most states you can file online free. Just copy the numbers line by line after the program does the calculations for you
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I believe those with greater ability to pay should pay more than they do now, but even with that view, I have enough integrity to pay the taxes the laws say I currently owe. I do make sure I take advantage of every tax break I can (and believe there should be far fewer loopholes that people with very high incomes/wealth can access). I also would like to see traffic fines assessed the way they are in Sweden, based on income (and/or wealth), so those who have more money really the penalty in the same way someone who has far less money feels the penalty.
Aside: If you use Affirm to pay, AFFIRM15DEC takes $3 off.
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- Former NYS sales tax auditor
I believe those with greater ability to pay should pay more than they do now, but even with that view, I have enough integrity to pay the taxes the laws say I currently owe. I do make sure I take advantage of every tax break I can (and believe there should be far fewer loopholes that people with very high incomes/wealth can access). I also would like to see traffic fines assessed the way they are in Sweden, based on income (and/or wealth), so those who have more money really the penalty in the same way someone who has far less money feels the penalty.
Nobody here cares what the price was years ago. Gas was 32 cents a gallon years ago too but who cares today. This is a deal forum not an unattainable price forum. People only want to know today's best price.
People care what the price was to anticipate what the best price this year will be.
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I believe those with greater ability to pay should pay more than they do now, but even with that view, I have enough integrity to pay the taxes the laws say I currently owe. I do make sure I take advantage of every tax break I can (and believe there should be far fewer loopholes that people with very high incomes/wealth can access). I also would like to see traffic fines assessed the way they are in Sweden, based on income (and/or wealth), so those who have more money really the penalty in the same way someone who has far less money feels the penalty.
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