Generally, the income limit to qualify for free tax help is $64,000. Typically (but not always), these packages are well suited for people who only have income from one job and aren’t itemizing on their tax returns. If your tax situation is a little more complex, this might not be a solution for you. Taxpayers in Maine and Massachusetts have until April 17 to file their taxes because of state holidays.

IRS Free File will open January 14 when participating providers will accept completed returns and hold them until they can be filed electronically with the IRS. Many commercial tax preparation software companies and tax professionals will also be accepting and preparing tax returns before January 24 to submit the returns when the IRS systems open. Some returns, filed electronically or on paper, may need tax season manual review, which delays the processing, if our systems detect a possible error or missing information, or there is suspected identity theft or fraud. Some of these situations require us to correspond with taxpayers, but some do not. This work does require special handling by an IRS employee so, in these instances, it may take the IRS more than the normal 21 days to issue any related refund.

What if you can’t pay the amount of tax owed?

Of the 41 states that do, most adhere to the April 15 federal filing deadline. There are some exceptions, including Delaware, Iowa, Louisiana and Virginia. Most US taxpayers need to file in the next two weeks, though residents in certain locations get more time. If you contribute to an employer-sponsored retirement plan like a traditional or Roth 401(k), Dec. 31 is typically the last day to make a qualified contribution. For the 2024 tax year, the most you can contribute is $23,000 ($30,500 if you’re 50 or older).

A paper check sent through the mail will take longer — about 4 to 6 weeks. Many popular tax software companies also offer a free version of their tax filing programs. The free tiers are typically limited in what they can handle and are usually best suited for those with simple tax returns. First, let’s get some basics out of the way, like when you can file your return, when is the filing deadline for your 2023 tax return, and what the standard deduction is for this year.

I tried the IRS free alternative to TurboTax and here’s what you need to know

People living in federally declared disaster areas can also get more time to file. The IRS started accepting tax returns on January 29, and will continue to accept federal tax returns through April 15. “Our goal is accurate tax returns. We really don’t have a bias in terms of how much you owe or you don’t,” Werfel told CBS. TurboTax will ask you simple questions about you and give you the tax deductions and credits you’re eligible for based on your answers.

Any taxes you owe are still due on tax day, so you should estimate and pay any taxes you owe before April 15th to avoid penalties and interest. The filing deadline to submit 2021 tax returns or an extension to file and pay tax owed is Monday, April 18, 2022, for most taxpayers. By law, Washington, D.C., holidays impact tax deadlines for everyone in the same way federal holidays do. The due date is April 18, instead of April 15, because of the Emancipation Day holiday in the District of Columbia for everyone except taxpayers who live in Maine or Massachusetts.