freetaxusa.com
FreeTaxUSA.com is a low-cost tax filing website that gives most people a free federal return and charges a clear fee for each state return.
What does FreeTaxUSA.com do?
FreeTaxUSA guides users through a set of simple questions and then prepares the forms needed to file a United States tax return.
The service can handle wages, investments, self-employment, rental property, farm income, retirement income, education credits, crypto sales, and many other common tax needs.
Its supported forms page lists more than 900 federal and state forms for the 2025 tax year.
Users can upload a prior return from another tax service, and they can import many W-2 and 1099 forms by uploading a file or taking a photo.
The website also supports tax extensions, amended returns, prior-year returns, direct deposit, and payments to the IRS.
Is the federal tax return really free?
The main commercial product includes a free federal return even when the return has complex items such as self-employment income, stock sales, or rental property.
FreeTaxUSA says there are no paid federal tiers and no forced upgrade just because a taxpayer needs an advanced supported form.
A 2025 federal return costs $0, while each current state return costs $15.99, according to the company’s current pricing page.
This pricing model is the website’s strongest feature because many competing services only offer free filing for very simple returns.
The company earns money from state returns and optional support products instead of charging more when a federal return becomes complex.
What optional fees can appear?
Basic customer support through email and the in-app help center is included at no cost.
Deluxe Support costs $7.99 and adds live chat, faster service, and unlimited amended returns for the same tax year.
Pro Support is listed at $64.99 and gives the user access to a tax professional through phone support and other direct help.
Audit Defense costs $19.99 and provides professional help if the IRS or a state tax office audits the filed return.
An amended return costs $16.98 without an eligible support package, while prior-year state returns currently cost $17.99.
Users can also pay optional fees for a printed return, a bound copy, or having filing costs taken from their refund.
The last option is convenient, but paying with a card avoids the extra refund-processing fee.
Who will get the most value from it?
FreeTaxUSA is a strong choice for people who can answer guided tax questions but do not want to pay a high price for complex federal forms.
It is especially useful for freelancers, gig workers, investors, landlords, and families who may not qualify for a competitor’s basic free plan.
It also suits returning users because the service can carry information forward and keep copies of earlier returns.
People who live in a state with no individual income tax may be able to finish a federal return without paying FreeTaxUSA anything.
A person filing several state returns should calculate the full cost because the $15.99 fee normally applies to each state.
Is FreeTaxUSA the same as IRS Free File?
FreeTaxUSA’s normal commercial offer and the IRS Free File program are separate paths, even though both can provide free federal filing.
For the 2026 filing season, IRS Free File guided software is available to taxpayers with 2025 adjusted gross income of $89,000 or less, according to the IRS eligibility rules.
The IRS tells eligible users to begin at IRS.gov because visiting a partner’s commercial website directly may lead to a different offer.
FreeTaxUSA’s commercial website has no stated income limit for its free supported federal return, but it usually charges for a state return.
This difference matters because the word “free” may cover a different set of services depending on where the filing process begins.
What are the main limits?
FreeTaxUSA does not support every possible tax case, even though it covers most personal returns.
Its published exclusions include Form 1040-NR for nonresident aliens, Form 2555 for foreign earned income, Form 6198 for some at-risk limits, and filing while the customer or preparer lives outside the United States.
People with those situations should check the exact supported form list before entering all their data.
The service also gives less hands-on help in its free plan than a local tax professional or a premium tax product.
Users with a business entity, a hard foreign tax issue, a large estate, or an active tax dispute may need professional advice instead of guided software.
Is the website safe to use?
FreeTaxUSA is operated by TaxHawk, Inc. and describes itself as an authorized IRS e-file provider.
Its security information says it uses encryption, active monitoring, account alerts, controlled servers, and multi-factor authentication through codes or an authenticator app.
The company also says it has filed more than 82 million returns with the IRS, which points to a long operating record.
Its privacy policy says tax and identity information is treated as confidential and is not sold or rented.
Tax filing still requires sharing names, Social Security numbers, income records, bank details, and other sensitive data, so users should enable multi-factor authentication and use a unique password.
What guarantees does it provide?
FreeTaxUSA offers an accuracy guarantee, a maximum-refund guarantee, and an always-free federal guarantee for supported forms.
If its calculation error causes IRS or state penalties and interest, the company says it will pay those qualifying costs under its stated conditions.
The maximum-refund promise can refund FreeTaxUSA fees when another filing method produces a better result from the same tax facts, but the terms contain limits and documentation rules.
These guarantees do not protect a user who enters wrong information, leaves out income, or claims a deduction that the law does not allow.
What is the final verdict?
FreeTaxUSA.com stands out because it makes complex federal filing free while keeping state and support prices easy to see.
Its best customer is someone who wants capable software, understands their own documents, and only needs limited personal help.
Its weakest fit is someone with unsupported international forms or a need for close, year-round guidance from a tax expert.
For most ordinary federal returns, the website offers unusually strong value, but every user should confirm form support and the final checkout price before filing.