How do I Prepare State Income Taxes for Free?
United States residents who make more than the standard federal deduction are required to file a federal income tax return. Only people who live or work in one of the 43 states, and Washington D.C., that require state income tax returns are required to file their state income taxes as well as their federal income taxes. The lucky residents who live in the other seven states only have to file federal taxes. Fortunately, the silver lining in having to file state taxes is that some taxpayers can file for free.
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Instructions
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File by Mail
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File your state income tax return by hand, which is always free. You will need to obtain a copy of the state income tax return form required by your state, which is mailed to you by your state's Department of Revenue at the beginning of the year or it can be requested at your post office or on your state Department of Revenue's (DOR) website.
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Use the instructions included with your state income tax return to refer to for help filing your tax return. Use the tax tables located in the instructions to correctly determine your tax.
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Mail your state income tax return to your state's Department of Revenue. That address is in the instructions for your income tax return form. If you owe taxes to your state DOR, include a check in the amount of your tax due made payable to your state's treasury department. Include your Social Security number or your Taxpayer Identification Number on your check.
File Electronically
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Visit the website operated by your state's Department of Revenue. Each state's DOR website is different but all have an option for "Online Services." Locate the link for electronic tax filing under Online Services.
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Choose from the list of online tax providers approved by your state. Some of them will allow you to file your state income tax return for free. You will need to scan the list of providers to see which ones will allow you to file your state income tax return free of charge.
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Choose the online tax provider you wish to use to file your state income tax return. Determine whether or not you meet the requirements in place for free online tax filing. Most online providers require you have an adjusted gross income of less than $57,000 to file for free, but some states also have other requirements.
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Enter your tax information on the website of your chosen online tax provider. Once you are finished you can view your information, correct anything that needs correcting and click on the "Submit" button to send your return to your state. If you owe tax to your state, you will be required to submit your credit card or bank account information with your return to pay the amount of your tax due.
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References
- Photo Credit A young woman holding a pen, doing her taxes image by Christopher Meder from Fotolia.com
