IRS keeping Free File open through Thursday
WASHINGTON (KXAN) — The Internal Revenue Service said Tuesday it was keeping its Free File service open until Thursday for those needing to file their 2021 tax returns.
The IRS said in a press release it sent letters to more than 9 million who may qualify for tax benefits but had not yet claimed them by filing their tax return.
According to the IRS release, many in the group may be eligible to claim some or all of the 2021 Recovery Rebate Credit, the Child Tax Credit, the Earned Income Tax Credit and other tax credits.
And the IRS said you could get these expanded tax benefits, even if they have little or no income from a job, business or other source. This means if you don’t normally need to file a tax return, you should do so this year even if you haven’t been required to file in recent years.
The IRS said it will not issue a penalty for a refund claimed on a tax return filed after the regular April 2022 tax deadline. The fastest and easiest way to get a refund is to file an accurate return electronically and choose direct deposit.
IRS Free File lets people whose incomes are $73,000 or less to file a return online for free using brand-name software.
IRS Free File provides two ways for taxpayers to prepare and file their 2021 federal income tax return online for free:
- IRS Partner Sites: Traditional IRS Free File provides free online tax preparation and filing options on IRS partner sites. Individual taxpayers whose adjusted gross income (AGI) is $73,000 or less qualify for any IRS Free File partner offers. Free File lets individuals electronically prepare and file their federal income tax online using guided tax preparation.
- Free Fillable Forms: For taxpayers whose AGI is greater than $73,000, there’s the Free File Fillable Forms option. It provides electronic federal tax forms that can be filled out and filed online for free. To use this option, taxpayers should know how to prepare their own tax returns.
Always start at IRS.gov:
- From the homepage, select File Your Taxes for Free.
- Use the IRS Free File Lookup Tool to narrow the list of providers or the Browse All Offers page to see a full list of providers.
- Follow the link to the chosen IRS Free File provider’s website.
The IRS Directory of Federal Tax Return Preparers with Credentials and Select Qualifications lists qualified local preparers.