In addition to the IRS Free Fillable Forms, you may also be eligible for one or more free government tax filing services, depending on your income level. For instance, if you earn less than $69,000 a year, you may qualify for the VITA program and benefit from a My Free Taxes Specialist. If you earn more than $69,000 a year, you can file your federal and state taxes for free on the website myfreetaxes.org by selecting Own My Own. A reliable resource that you can use to learn how to file your taxes for free is United Way’s website ekscalifornia.org where you can access a complete, in-depth guide that includes free filing checklist and preparation forms, when to file your free taxes, and how to choose the right free tax filing service.

It’s essential to know the tax and final tax deadlines in order to select the best free tax filing option. If you plan on filing your taxes after April 15, which is, in general, the tax deadline, then you should know that the VITA Free Taxes Specialist will no longer be an option available to you. Once you’ve filed an extension to the final tax deadline, which is October 15, you will be able to use the IRS Free File options only. In order to properly file your taxes, you need to gather as many documents and receipts ( to get more money back) as possible.

Regardless of the free service you use, the documents needed for your tax return include a W-2 for each job you had in the previous year, 1095-A if you bought health insurance via the Covered California marketplace, 1099s and 1098s, birth dates and social security numbers for those listed on your taxes, income or interest statements, and your bank account number for your tax return to be deposited into your account. If you’re interested in learning more about how to file your taxes for free, feel free to refer to United Way’s website ekscalifornia.org.

On this popular website, in addition to a comprehensive and easy-to-read guide, you can also find the links to several free services available to you, including VITA Tax Specialist, available by accessing myfreetaxes.org and signing up ( this service provided by an IRS-certified specialist is available via video conference due to the pandemic), as well as the IRS Free Fillable Forms ( that you need to fill out manually) and IRS Free Software ( for this option, you need to choose a software tool).