How to Save Money on Income Tax Preparation & Free Filing

How to Save Money on Your Taxes. How to not have to pay over a hundred dollars to get your taxes done.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Internet
• Willingness to Save Money
• Understand that it is OK to be a novice
• Income Information

1. 
   http://www.fotosearch.com/clip-art/taxes.html

   You do not have to spend hundreds of dollars on income tax preparation. The IRS's website even refers you to tax online programs that you can use for free to little money. You are your best advocate and you know your own situation.
   
   Free File is the fast, easy, and free way to prepare and e-file your federal taxes online. The Free File program provides free federal income tax preparation and electronic filing for eligible taxpayers through a partnership between the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the Free File Alliance LLC, a group of private sector tax software companies.
   
   Here is the link to the IRS's free file information:
   http://www.irs.gov/efile/article/0,,id=118986,00.html?portlet=6

2. 
   http://www.fotosearch.com/clip-art/taxes.html

   Get a Tax Program, I like H & R block's taxcut. I have used it for years. I have used it online for free, and all I paid was the electronic filling fee, or I could have paid nothing and printed it and sent it in.
   The online tax preparation programs are easy and straight forward to use.

3. 
   http://www.fotosearch.com/clip-art/input-data.html

   Input your information, input it at your leisure, you can save it and return later. Try to do something like listen to your favorite music at the same time. If you have any questions, you can always call the IRS, or look online at irs.gov. They have a knowledge staff.

4. 
   http://www.fotosearch.com/clip-art/print-out.html

   Print out your final draft look over it, if everything checks out. File your federal income taxes.

5. 
   http://www.fotosearch.com/clip-art/states-united.html

   Now for your state income taxes, find your states website. They usually have a free filing on it also. Also, if you have any state questions, feel free to contact your local state income tax office.

Tips & Warnings

• Do not worry if this is your first time
• Do take your time
• Research if you feel not comfidient
• Feel good that you saved yourself hundreds, and the time standing in line.
• Don't pay too much for someone else to do your taxes
• Don't think you do not know enough to do your taxes, most taxes preparers are running on a similar interview software that you will use online.