Free File 2025 is open with 8 familiar software options

January 10, 2025

If you used Free File last year to complete your federal taxes, then the 2025 version, which opened today, is mostly déjà vu.

The same eight tax software companies are participating. One of them will offer software for Spanish speakers.

The main difference this year is that the Internal Revenue Service/Free File Alliance partnership can be used by taxpayers whose adjusted gross income (AGI) is $84,000. That’s five grand more than last year’s AGI threshold, but it still applies to all filers, regardless of filing status.

Same 8 software options: The eight returning private-sector tax software companies that are part of this 23rd Free File season are —

1040Now
Drake (1040.com)
ezTaxReturn.com
FileYourTaxes.com
On-Line Taxes
TaxAct
TaxHawk (FreeTaxUSA)
TaxSlayer

While the Free File program establishes general parameters, each participating provider is allowed to set its own eligibility rules for products based on age, income, and state residency.

This filing season, ezTaxReturn.com will provide an IRS Free File product in Spanish. Some providers also offer free state return preparation. Others focus on filings by military personnel.

The photo strips in this post, captured from the IRS Free File official online access page, give you a brief look at each of the companies’ offerings and some of their requirements.

Note that these images are screen captures. The blue buttons at the bottom of each Free File provider blurb that instructs interested taxpayers to “View this trusted partner” are not interactive here. You need to go to the IRS’ Free File browsing page for that accessibility.

Go to the source: Speaking of the IRS Free File page, that is the only source for these eight tax software providers who are part of the program this year.

If you use a search engine to find free tax filing, you’ll likely discover other offerings. If you’ve ever searched for tax filing, you’ll also probably will get similar no-cost filing offers in your email box.

But be careful. As we all know, all too well, tax filing season is prime tax scam season.

Your best, and safest, option is to go directly to the only official, legitimate way to do your taxes for free, the Free File website at IRS.gov.

To ensure that you’re going to the IRS site and not a crook’s replica, start at the main IRS.gov. There you can look for Free File on the home page, or type Free File in the search box at the top right.

That search result will give you a link to the agency’s recommended link, Free File: Do Your Federal Taxes for Free. This page is full of additional links, as well as frequently asked questions.

You can compare the various Free File possibilities by using IRS.gov’s Browse All Trusted Partners interactive page. There you can set parameters to help narrow your search.

Or you can use the Free File lookup tool. This online search option asks you a series of questions about your tax situation and then provides you with Free File matches.

Also note that you must use the links at IRS Free File on IRS.gov to get the no-cost offers.

If you find a program you like, but go directly to that company’s commercial website, won’t get the free tax preparation service advertised as part of Free File.

Be a careful tax shopper: Tax software shopping is just like any other retail endeavor. Be a careful, and smart, Free File consumer.

Unless you’ve used one of this year’s Free File programs before and are happy with it, shop around. And even if you do find your prior Free File company, make sure it hasn’t changed this year. An option that was available last year may not be there in 2025, or may require more work.

Such examination is particularly important for taxpayers who also must file a state tax return.

As noted earlier, some, but not all, this year’s Free File providers offer free state tax prep and e-filing. Some offer it, but unlike the federal portion, the state portion is not free. And some companies that do offer free state filing only do so for certain states.

So double check the state details if this feature is important to you.

You also should check with your state tax department about any free tax preparation and filing options it provides. Most offer at least some form of free e-filing for their residents. This would mean going to different sites to fulfill all your tax responsibilities, but if you can complete your state returns for free, the added work is likely worth it.

Early, but held, filings: Although you can start (or complete) your 2024 tax year return today using Free File (if you’re eligible), the IRS is not going to look at your filing until the full 2025 tax season officially starts.

That’s expected to be on Monday, Jan. 27.

The Free File companies will hold the returns it gets in advance of the tax season’s start, and hold them until they can be filed electronically in a couple of weeks.

But the taxpayers who use Free File now and any time before Jan. 27 will be done with this year’s tax task. The box below has more on how you can use Free File to take “file your taxes” off your to-do list.

What you need to use Free File

Tax filing is always easier if you’re ready. So that your Free File experience will be a successful one with as little stress as possible, the IRS suggests you gather the following information and materials before you start.

Personal Information:

A copy of last year’s tax return in order to access your adjusted gross income (AGI)
Valid Social Security numbers for yourself, your spouse, and any dependent, if applicable
A valid email address so the Free File software company you use can notify you that your return was accepted by IRS

Income and Receipts:

Social Security benefits
Unemployment Compensation
All receipts pertaining to your small business, if applicable
Income receipts from rental, real estate, royalties, partnerships, S corporation, trusts

Other income:

W-2s, showing your annual wages from all of your employers
Form 1099-INT, showing interest paid to you throughout the year
Form 1099-G, showing any refund, credit or offset of state and local taxes
Forms 1099-DIV and 1099-R, showing dividends and distributions from retirement and other plans paid to you during the year

Healthcare/Affordable Care Act data:

Form 1095-A, Health Insurance Marketplace Statement.
Form 8962, Premium Tax Credit

You can read more about Free File, what you need to get started, related filing tools, and more in the drop-down sections of IRS.gov’s main IRS Free File page.

Fillable forms opens Jan. 27: As for taxpayers who made more than $84,000 in 2024, Free File’s companion program Free File Fillable Forms (FFFF) will be available later this month.

You guessed it. The fillable forms option will open on Jan. 27.

Once FFFF is operational, you select the forms you need, fill them out at your computer and then, like the full Free File setup, electronically submit them to the IRS at no cost.

Remember, though, there is no programmed tax software component in the fillable forms option. You must not only complete the forms themselves, but also have some knowledge of the tax laws so that you can do so correctly.

If you’re comfortable doing that and aren’t eligible for the full Free File option, then Free Fillable Forms is a good alternative.

You can read more about FFFF in the option’s official user’s guide IRS Publication 5274.

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