The 2025 tax filing season is now officially open. If you’re looking to get your taxes done early and with ease, consider using an IRS program that enables millions of Americans to file their federal tax returns for free in just a few steps.
Free File is a partnership between the IRS and eight of the country’s biggest online tax-prep companies. If your adjusted gross income was $84,000 or less in 2024, you’re eligible to use Free File to process and submit a simple return for free. Some participating companies will even process your state return.
In 2024, approximately a million Americans took advantage of the program, ensuring their taxes were completed on time and for free. Below, we break down everything you need to know about Free File, including who qualifies for it, how it works and what you’ll need to do to take advantage of the free program.
For additional important tax information, learn about the earliest and latest you can file your taxes in 2025 and which states have tax deadlines other than April 15.
What is Free File?
IRS Free File is a public-private partnership between the IRS and the Free File Alliance, a group of commercial tax preparation and filing software companies who provide their online tax-prep and filing federal returns electronically at no cost to taxpayers.
