Is a Free Tax Return Right for You?
When people hear about a totally-free tax return, they usually have one of two reactions:
- What's the catch? Or,
- Why wouldn't I choose to do my taxes for free?
At TurboTax, our goal is to make doing your taxes as easy as possible. If you have a simple tax return and feel comfortable completing it without much help, completing a free tax return with TurboTax Free Edition may be the best choice for you. If you'd like extra guidance while completing your tax return, or have additional complexities (mortgage interest, charitable donations, investment income, self-employment income, etc.) another TurboTax product may be your best choice.
With TurboTax Free Edition, you can complete a totally-free federal tax return and e-file for free. No strings attached. The Free Edition offers less guidance compared to our other TurboTax products, so it works best if you're filing a simple return (1040 EZ, 1040A, etc.), and are comfortable doing so without much help.
If you choose, you can transfer your information to TurboTax State and file your state taxes for a small additional fee. But you are not required to make any purchase to file your federal taxes using TurboTax Free Edition.
If you had recent changes in your life that affect your taxes (getting married, buying a house, having children, inheritances, investments, etc.) you may want extra guidance while completing your tax return. Or perhaps you'd like to use features such as automatic W-2 import, or year-over-year transfer of your tax information. In these cases, a free tax return is probably not your best choice.
TurboTax offers a variety of products to give you extra help with things like charitable donations, mortgage interest, child care, medical expenses, investments or self-employment income. You can even use TurboTax to have a tax professional complete and file your return for you.
The key is to look at your unique situation and your comfort level with completing your taxes, then choose the TurboTax solution that meets your needs the best. Need help deciding? Answer a few simple questions and we'll suggest the best product for you.
