alt Hacker NewsI wanted to electronically file my own taxes last year instead of paying turbotax or an actual accountant.
While my situation isn't particularly complex (but complex enough that I did need help from an accountant the first times), none of the free filing services online (IRS FreeFile included) offered the more complex forms I need.
"Not a problem!" I thought. Except, even if I could download the forms from the IRS and do all the work myself, I could not for the life of me find a way to electronically submit (and had to hire my accountant again).
Is it possible in the US to electronically file your own taxes?
Replies
Just out of curiosity, which forms are Free File Fillable Forms missing that you need?
(I feel like I have moderately complex taxes and they have all of them that I use.)
Intuit lobbies the government to make sure we don't have any free options.
When this repo was first discussed a year or so ago I remember it being stated that the answer is "no" unless you qualify for the IRS free file program
Yes just use Claude or ChatGPT to download it and fill it and paper mail it. Today their capabilities far exceed that of an average accountant
My suggestion is to accept the status quo of American tax filing, while in the meantime continue to bother your representatives about it.
If your taxes are complicated enough that you need to pay, just pay.
This will come across as a product plug, but FreeTaxUSA is a lot better than TurboTax and provides 100% of the featureset for free for federal taxes, and charges $16 for state filing. The UI and interface is also way better than the hostile design of TurboTax.
It is technically possible to use Free Fillable Forms but it realy isn't worth saving $16. You will easily burn multiple hours of extra time compared to something like FreeTaxUSA.
https://www.irs.gov/e-file-providers/free-file-fillable-form...