The Internal Revenue Service wants more than 850,000 Kansas taxpayers who earned less than $58,000 to know they can now use brand name tax software to prepare their federal tax return - for free.

To help people get a jump on their taxes before the Jan. 31 filing season opens, the IRS announced the immediate availability of Free File on the IRS.gov website.

“Many tax preparers and tax software companies are now open for return preparation, including Free File. If you plan to get a head start on your taxes, remember to e-file. Electronic filing will allow software companies to hold your return and to automatically send it to the IRS on Jan. 31. There is absolutely no advantage to filing by paper,” said IRS Commissioner John Koskinen. “If you want to save money and time, just use Free File to prepare and e-file your federal return at no charge.”

The 14 companies in the Free File Alliance that partner with the IRS allow eligible taxpayers to use their brand-name tax software for free.  Last year more than 28,000 Kansas taxpayers used Free File to prepare their federal tax returns.

The software’s question and answer format will help find tax breaks, such as the Earned Income Tax Credit.  The software also selects the appropriate tax form,  does the calculations and most offer state returns either for a fee or for free. 

“To avoid charges for preparing and e-filing your federal tax return, you must access Free File through the IRS.gov website at IRS.gov/freefile,” said IRS spokesman Michael Devine. “Once you choose a Free File company, you will be directed to their website to prepare, e-file your return, then print a file copy.”

People who earn more $58,000 can use Free File Fillable Forms, an electronic version of IRS paper forms.  Taxpayers who cannot complete their tax returns by the April 15 filing deadline can use Free File to request a six-month extension.

All Free File software companies use the latest encryption software and using e-file and direct deposit is the fastest way to get a refund.