5 options for filing your taxes for free

A smiling woman working on her laptop in her living room, filing her taxes — Free filing systems work best if your tax situation is simple and does not include self-employment, gig work or itemized deductions

(Image credit: shapecharge / Getty Images)

Filing your taxes is already a painful enough process without having to pay to do it. The good news? There are plenty of ways to file for free this tax season — even with the shuttering of the IRS Direct File program.

Last year, "about 300,000 filers" used the IRS's free online tax filing program, which was generally "well received by users," said The New York Times. But after "it was opposed by the commercial tax software industry and Republican lawmakers, who called it 'unauthorized and wasteful,'" the program was suspended.

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Just keep in mind that free options may not work for everyone — they are generally best "if your tax situation is simple, such as having only a Form W-2 with a few tax deductions and credits," said Bankrate. "If your tax return is complicated, there's a good chance the free options won't work for you."

1. IRS Free File

With the shuttering of Direct File, the Treasury Department "recommended that the IRS focus instead on its longtime Free File program," said the Times. This program is a partnership between the IRS and various commercial tax software firms that allows filers who meet certain eligibility requirements to use the services at no cost.

Though each participating firm can technically set its own eligibility criteria, Free File "generally allows filers with 2025 adjusted gross income of $89,000 or less to have their federal tax return — and in some cases their state returns — filed at no charge," said the Times. The service is accessible by visiting IRS.gov/FreeFile or through the IRS2go mobile app.

2. Free versions of tax software

There are also a multitude of free filing options outside of the IRS, as "some popular online tax software providers, such as TurboTax and TaxSlayer, offer limited free options to file your federal and state income tax return," said Bankrate.

Just note that "if you have a complex tax situation, you won't qualify for these companies' free options" either, said the outlet. Further, "consumers have sometimes found the terms of the deals confusing," said The New York Times.

3. Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA)

The IRS Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program "offers free in-person assistance" for "people who need help filling out their return, including those earning $67,000 or less, people who are disabled and those who speak limited English," said Bankrate.

Just note that VITA locations, staffed by certified volunteers, "are typically only open through the mid-April deadline," though some "may be operational through the October extension deadline," said NerdWallet.

4. Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE)

Another option available through the IRS is Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE), which "helps community organizations provide free tax preparation focusing on pension- and retirement-related tax issues," said NerdWallet. The program primarily serves "people 60 and older," but "some AARP-run sites may offer help to low-to-moderate-income tax filers in their 50s."

5. Credit cards and banking apps

While they might not be the first options that come to mind when filing your taxes, your credit card or your banking app might be a way to do so for free. As it turns out, a "growing number of banking apps and credit cards are partnering with B2B tax technology companies to make free filing available to their customers," said CNBC Select. For example, recently, "PayPal partnered with AI-powered April to enable PayPal Debit Mastercard cardholders to file federal and state returns at no charge."

Other filing offers include those from Cash App, the banking app Chime and the finance app MoneyLion.

Becca Stanek has worked as an editor and writer in the personal finance space since 2017. She previously served as a deputy editor and later a managing editor overseeing investing and savings content at LendingTree and as an editor at the financial startup SmartAsset, where she focused on retirement- and financial-adviser-related content. Before that, Becca was a staff writer at The Week, primarily contributing to Speed Reads.