What to Know About TurboTax Before You File Your Taxes This Year

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What to Know About TurboTax Before You File Your Taxes This Year

https://www.propublica.org/article/what-to-know-about-turbotax-before-you-file-taxes

Don’t get tricked into paying for tax prep if you don’t have to. Learn how the biggest tax preparation companies have suppressed free filling options for years.

by Sophia Kovatch
Jan. 26, 5 a.m. EST

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Under the Free File agreement, Americans who make less than $73,000 per year should be able to file their taxes for ...snip...

The story of the Free File program is long and twisting, and it can seem more like a fight against free tax filing than a fight for it.
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ProPublica has reported on Intuit and the Free File program since 2013. Here’s what we’ve found.

The Truth About TurboTax
In 2002, Intuit, H&R Block and other tax prep companies signed a deal with the IRS to provide free tax filing services to millions of Americans. In return, the IRS agreed it would not create its own tax filing system that could compete with the tax prep companies.

A government-run tax filing system, often known as return-free filing, is already a reality in many countries around the world. With a return-free filing system, the government fills out the tax forms with the information it already has, and taxpayers simply have to review the forms for accuracy. This is not the case in the U.S.

Switching to such a system would devastate tax prep company profits. That’s why Intuit and other members of the industry spent millions through the years lobbying to preserve the Free File agreement, particularly the part that restricts the IRS from creating its own free filing system.

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Much, much more at the link....

https://www.propublica.org/article/what-to-know-about-turbotax-before-you-file-taxes

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IRS Free File Guided Tax Preparation Options
Do your taxes online for free with an IRS Free File provider.

If your adjusted gross income (AGI) was $73,000 or less, review each provider’s offer to make sure you qualify. Some offers include a free state tax return.

Use the IRS Free File Lookup Tool to narrow your list of providers or the Browse All Offers page to see a full list of providers. After selecting one of the IRS Free File offers, you will leave the IRS.gov website.

More...https://apps.irs.gov/app/freeFile/

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