Where to File Your State Tax Return for Free
- A number of tax preparation software solutions allow taxpayers to file their taxes either online, through a desktop software application, or through a tax preparer. State government has charged a file fee to the individuals who have used the electronic methods to file their income taxes.
- Over time many taxpayers have started to use these electronic filing applications. State tax officials have noticed that their agencies are saving millions of dollars because employees no longer have to try to read/decipher the taxpayer's handwriting on written tax forms and re-enter the data into the tax agency's enterprise software. This savings can be re-invested by agency officials who are always desperate for income.
- State officials know that punitive fees discourage taxpayers from using services. Their experience with the commercial software applications has taught them that taxpayers like the convenience of electronic filing and that electronic filing saves the agencies millions of dollars. However, it is difficult to know how many thousands of taxpayers still send in their tax forms the traditional way to avoid the electronic file fee. This experience has given rise to the effort on the part of state officials to consider eliminating these fees to entice additional electronic filing and save the tax agencies more money.
- A basic Internet search for your state's tax agencies website should allow you to visit the site and discover if the agency allows free income tax filing. The agency may allow you to file your income taxes for free directly from its website.
- Residents in 9 U. S. states do not have to worry about the electronic filing fee issues by virtue of the fact that state government does not require the payment of a state income tax. These states are Alaska, Florida, Nevada, South Dakota, Texas, Washington, Wyoming, New Hampshire and Tennessee.