The Internal Revenue Service’s website has many resources for tax return filing and preparation, and is designed to provide taxpayers with advice about their impending tax returns. The government-run website is a little archaic and dated-looking, but nonetheless may be helpful for US citizens. It’s worth mentioning that some of their “help” pages are listed as being “historical”, meaning that some of the information on them may be outdated when you read it. The IRS’s official government website is surprisingly in need of some maintenance, it seems.
The IRS site details many ways in which taxpayers can get help with their tax preparations. Two of the programs it mentions are the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) and Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE) programs. VITA offers free tax assistance to those who make $54,000 or less per year, as well as people with disabilities and those who have limited English skills. TCE offers free help to taxpayers who are 60 years or older, and specializes in retirement and pension-related issues.
The IRS site is full of information advising individuals on which forms they should fill out according to their circumstances. Though it’s generally considered easier to e-file these days, they do instruct you on how to receive the appropriate paper forms that you need, and where you should mail them to upon completion.
It should be noted that the IRS’s “Free File” e-filing system is intended more for people who have some prior knowledge about tax returns. If you earn $66,000 or less, you can use their “free file software” to file federal taxes for free, with some state taxes being included for free too.
Those who earn more than $66,000 can use the IRS “Free File Fillable Forms”, which require you to know how to do your taxes yourself, including things such as tax credits and tax deductions, which can become fairly complex. Though the Fillable Forms offer some basic guidance and math tools, the system is much more geared towards accountants and people with in-depth tax knowledge. State tax preparation is also not available with the Fillable Form system.
As well as filing options, the IRS website gives you options for paying your taxes to them directly via a bank account, credit card, debit card, payment plan, or the Electronic Federal Tax Payment System (EFTPS). Their “refunds” page offers instructions on receiving any tax refunds you may be owed, and their “credits and deductions” page details the hundreds of tax credits and tax deductions that you may be entitled to, as well as explaining how tax credits and tax deductions work in the first place.
If you’re looking for an easy way to e-file your tax returns, it may be worth using a separate reputable e-filing site such as Credit Karma or Tax Slayer. Though IRS.gov is the official government website for taxes, it is not as simple or intuitive as many other online services.