The IRS will open the Free File service beginning this week.
The service “will be available Friday for taxpayers ahead of the official start of tax season later this month,” the agency said in a Jan. 7 statement. It allows taxpayers to prepare and file their federal income tax returns online for free. The IRS calls the service a “safe, easy” way to file returns. It is a public-private partnership between the tax agency and Free File Inc. (Free File Alliance), a nonprofit coalition of tax software companies.
Every partner taking part in the Free File program “guarantees the accuracy” of the tax return calculation, the agency said. Some service providers may also offer free preparation for state taxes. The IRS says that it does not endorse any of these providers….