IRS Tax Tip 2023-16, February 8, 2023 Seniors and retirees who want to file their taxes for free or find free in-person tax help can look at a few programs available for eligible taxpayers. In-person IRS help for seniors and low-income taxpayers Eligible taxpayers can also have their taxes prepared in person for free, through these two programs: Tax Counseling for the Elderly – The TCE program prioritizes taxpayers aged 60 and older. TCE specializes in questions about pensions and retirement-related issues unique to seniors. Volunteer Income Tax Assistance – The VITA program is generally for people who make $60,000 or less, people with disabilities and limited English-speaking taxpayers. Taxpayers can go to the IRS Free Tax Preparation page of IRS.gov and use the available site locator tools to find a TCE or VITA site near them. IRS Free File Many seniors and retirees can file their taxes for free with IRS Free File, available at IRS.gov/freefile. The program offers online tax preparation software for taxpayers with income of $73,000 or less in 2022. Through this program, a public-private partnership between IRS and the Free File Inc, leading tax software providers make their online products available for free. This year, there are seven products in English and one in Spanish. Each IRS Free File partner sets its own eligibility standards based on income, age and state residency. Taxpayers can browse each of the offers or use the IRS Free File Lookup Tool to find the right product for them. The program software supports the most common forms that can be filed electronically, including the Form 1040-SR for seniors over the age of 65. Program providers also offer state income tax return preparation, some for free and some for a fee. Taxpayers can use the lookup tool to find the right state product. All program products are enabled for mobile devices so taxpayers can use their smart phone or tablet to do their taxes. Free File fillable forms While IRS Free File has an income cutoff, taxpayers with income over $73,000 can use Free File Fillable Forms. Fillable Forms don't include guided preparation, so taxpayers need to be comfortable completing their own tax forms. Certain veterans can use MilTax MilTax online software is available to certain veterans, regardless of income, and is offered through the Department of Defense. MilTax allows eligible taxpayers to prepare and file their federal income tax returns and up to three state income tax returns for free. Subscribe to IRS Tax Tips
