FreeTaxUSA is a robust online personal tax preparation service that lets you e-file federal tax returns—including Schedule C—for free. State filing and advanced support cost extra, though not much.
I write about money. I’ve been reviewing tax software and services as a freelancer for PCMag since 1993. Along the way, I took on reviews of other types of business and personal finance technology. Prior to that, I had spent a few years writing about productivity and entertainment applications for 8-bit personal computers (my first one was a Commodore VIC-20) as a member of the editorial staff at Compute!
If your budget is tight, FreeTaxUSA should be one of your top contenders when you're choosing a tax preparation service. You can use it to file your federal taxes for free, and it supports all major IRS forms and schedules. State returns cost only $14.99.
It's fast, easy to use, and provides more help than we would expect from a free product that covers so much ground. The user experience it provides isn't the most elegant, but we didn't encounter any problems or navigation confusion.
FreeTaxUSA is an especially good bargain if you have to file as self-employed. Many taxpayers have taken on side gigs in this changing economy, and the best tax preparation services charge hefty fees if you have to file Schedule C. This early review is based on the preview version of FreeTaxUSA. We looked at the Self-Employed version with the Deluxe add-on ($7.99). We’ll revisit this article in January when features have been finalized, and the IRS has opened filing. We’ll a-sign a rating at that time, too.
Since 1982, PCMag has tested and rated thousands of products to help you make better buying decisions. Read our editorial mission(Opens in a new window) & see how we test(Opens in a new window).
