Yes, e-filing a federal tax return is free for essentially every taxpayer. The IRS runs two no-cost federal options: guided tax software from private partners for filers with an adjusted gross income of $89,000 or less, and Free File Fillable Forms, a self-service tool with no income limit at all.1Internal Revenue Service. 2026 Tax Filing Season Opens With Several Free Filing Options Available State returns are a separate question, and they often carry a fee when filed through the same software.
Free Guided Software Through IRS Free File
IRS Free File is a partnership between the IRS and the Free File Alliance, a nonprofit coalition of tax software companies.2Internal Revenue Service. About the Free File Alliance For the 2026 filing season, eight partner companies offer their commercial products at no cost to eligible taxpayers.3Internal Revenue Service. Use IRS Free File to Conveniently File Your Return at No Cost The software asks guided questions, does the math, and transmits the finished return electronically.
To use the guided software, your 2025 adjusted gross income must be $89,000 or less. Each partner may set additional rules around age, state of residence, or military status, so one company’s free offer might apply only to filers within a certain age range or in certain states while another company’s rules look different.4Internal Revenue Service. E-file: Do Your Taxes for Free Active-duty service members who meet the income threshold can generally pick any participating company without those extra restrictions.5Internal Revenue Service. IRS Free File Offers Free Tax Prep Options for Military Personnel
One rule matters more than any other: start at IRS.gov/freefile. Going directly to a partner’s commercial website usually drops you into their paid product instead of the free one.4Internal Revenue Service. E-file: Do Your Taxes for Free
Free File Fillable Forms for Higher Incomes
If your income is above $89,000, or you would rather work directly with the tax forms, the IRS offers Free File Fillable Forms. There is no age, income, or residency limit.6Internal Revenue Service. Free File Fillable Forms User’s Guide The tool gives you electronic versions of standard IRS forms, performs basic math, and lets you e-file the result. It does not walk you through your return the way the partner software does, so it assumes you’re comfortable reading IRS forms and instructions on your own.7Internal Revenue Service. Free File Fillable Forms
Two boundaries to know. Fillable Forms handles federal returns only, not state returns. And some situations, such as certain foreign earned income filings, can’t be completed through the tool because required attachments aren’t supported.8Internal Revenue Service. Free File Fillable Forms: Military and International Filers You’ll also need a U.S. cell phone number that can receive text messages for identity verification.
Free E-Filing for Military Families
Active-duty service members, eligible family members, survivors, and recent veterans within 365 days of separation or retirement can use MilTax, run by the Department of Defense.9Military OneSource. MilTax: Free Software and Support MilTax includes tax software built for military situations, a free federal return, and up to five free state returns, which matters for families who have been stationed in more than one state during the year.
The program also gives you free one-on-one consultations with tax professionals who work with combat pay exclusions, the Military Spouses Residency Relief Act, and moving-related tax questions, along with accuracy and maximum-refund guarantees. Eligibility is verified through DEERS.9Military OneSource. MilTax: Free Software and Support
Why Your State Return May Still Cost Money
A free federal return does not automatically mean a free state return. Most Free File partners charge a separate fee to prepare and file a state return; one partner, for example, charges $39.99 for state returns outside its free-filing states. A few partners include free state filing for residents of specific states, so it pays to compare offers on the IRS Free File browsing tool before picking a provider.4Internal Revenue Service. E-file: Do Your Taxes for Free
Many states also run their own free filing portals through their department of revenue. If the Free File partner you chose would charge for the state return, filing directly with the state is often the way around the fee. Check your state revenue department’s website for availability and which tax situations it supports.
Free In-Person Help
If you’d rather have someone prepare and e-file the return with you, two IRS-sponsored volunteer programs do it for free:
- Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) offers free basic tax return preparation for people who generally earn $69,000 or less.10Internal Revenue Service. Free Tax Return Preparation for Qualifying Taxpayers
- Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE) offers free tax help focused on taxpayers age 60 and older.10Internal Revenue Service. Free Tax Return Preparation for Qualifying Taxpayers
Both are staffed by IRS-certified volunteers at community locations such as libraries, schools, and community centers. Find a nearby site with the IRS locator tool on IRS.gov.
What You Need Before You Start
Whichever free option you use, have these on hand:
- Social Security numbers for yourself, your spouse if filing jointly, and every dependent.
- Form W-2 from each employer and any 1099 forms for freelance income, interest, dividends, or other earnings.
- Records for deductions and credits you plan to claim, such as Form 1098 for mortgage interest and receipts for charitable donations.
- Last year’s adjusted gross income or a five-digit self-select PIN, which serves as your electronic signature.4Internal Revenue Service. E-file: Do Your Taxes for Free
- Routing and account numbers if you want direct deposit. Refunds can only go into a U.S. bank account in your name or your spouse’s name, not a foreign account.11Internal Revenue Service. Get Your Refund Faster: Tell IRS to Direct Deposit Your Refund to One, Two, or Three Accounts
- Any IRS Identity Protection PIN assigned to you, your spouse, or a dependent. An e-filed return will be rejected if a required IP PIN is missing.12Internal Revenue Service. Frequently Asked Questions About the Identity Protection Personal Identification Number (IP PIN)
Deadline and Free Extension
Your 2025 federal return and any tax you owe are due April 15, 2026.13Internal Revenue Service. IRS Announces First Day of 2026 Filing Season; Online Tools and Resources Help With Tax Filing If you need more time to file, you can request an automatic six-month extension through IRS Free File at no cost, regardless of income.14Internal Revenue Service. Get an Extension to File Your Tax Return
An extension only extends the time to file, not the time to pay. Tax owed is still due April 15, and interest and penalties accrue on any unpaid balance after that.15Internal Revenue Service. Pay Taxes on Time The failure-to-file penalty is 5 percent of the unpaid tax for each month or partial month the return is late, up to 25 percent. If you file more than 60 days late without an extension, the minimum penalty for returns due after December 31, 2025, is $525 or 100 percent of the unpaid tax, whichever is less.16Internal Revenue Service. Failure to File Penalty