The IRS established the Free File program in 2003 as a way of providing free online tax preparation and electronic return filing to 70% of the taxpaying population. The program is made possible through a public-private partnership between the IRS and the Free File Alliance---a coalition of tax preparation software companies. For tax year 2023, taxpayers with an adjusted gross income of $79,000 or less were eligible to use Free File (i.e., approximately 104 million taxpayers). But only a mere 2.5 million taxpayers opted to file their 2019 returns through Free File, while more than 50 million eligible taxpayers opted for a paid preparer service. 

Choosing a paid preparer service over the Free File program means that hundreds of millions of dollars are likely being wasted by low-income taxpayers on a service that is otherwise free. So why the low Free File participation rate? Well, recent comprehensive studies published by the IRS and the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration indicate that taxpayers are largely unaware of the Free File program's existence or unsure how to successfully locate a Free File offer. MyTaxRights seeks to directly address these shortfalls by: (1) boosting awareness of beneficial programs like Free File; and (2) promoting the use of online do-it-yourself tax preparation services as a safe and efficient way for taxpayers to prepare and file their tax returns.

Note also that many of the participating Free File companies offer free tax preparation services separate from the Free File program, but these services are not under the same consumer-friendly marketing constraints. Thus, taxpayers should carefully read through the terms and conditions of any the separate "free" services.

Lastly, if you do not qualify for the Free File program because you made more than $79,000, you can still self-prepare and electronically file your taxes for free using IRS's Free Fillable Forms. Note, however, you will not have access to the tax preparation software that is otherwise available through the Free File program. Therefore, Free Fillable Forms is generally only recommended for those who know how to independently prepare a tax return.