Can i file my taxes by myself

E-filing and free federal e-file are terms that you might hear around tax season, but it’s only one part of preparing your taxes. To help you understand what the terms e-file and free federal e-file mean, we’ll outline the relevant concepts in this post.

What Is E-Filing?

Electronic tax filing, or e-filing, is the process of submitting your completed income tax return to the IRS over the Internet. Compared to sending your paper return through the mail, e-file has the advantage of reducing the processing time, which can help you get your refund more quickly.

You can e-file on your own through a number of online or software programs. Or, a tax preparer might e-file for you as part of their services. However, e-file is not available for everyone. Taxpayers with more complexity may find that e-file is not allowed for their returns.

What Is Free Federal E-File?

Free federal e-file means you can submit your return to the IRS without cost. This is also referred to as IRS free e-file. As mentioned above, the free e-file only covers the transmission to the IRS. This doesn’t necessarily mean the tax return preparation is free. We’ll come back to that in a moment.

H&R Block Free E-File Options

If you’re using one of H&R Block’s do-it-yourself (DIY) programs, the number of free federal e-file transmissions will vary. For example, if you file with H&R Block Online, you can file one federal return for free. However, if you’re using one of our Tax Software options, you can e-file five federal returns for free. We should note that state e-file costs can vary depending on the option you choose.

Regardless of the DIY option you choose, we’ll walk you through the process of completing your e-file and help you understand what to do if your e-file is rejected for any errors.

Beyond Free Federal E-File: What About Free Tax Prep?

Before you can take advantage of IRS free e-file, you have to prepare your return. Several commercial brands offer free online tax preparation, but eligibility for the free options can vary.

H&R Block Free Online offers several benefits, including more tax forms for free compared to TurboTax Free Edition.

See how TurboTax Free Edition and H&R Block Free Online tax filing stack up.

State tax prep additional fee

State tax prep additional fee

State tax prep additional fee

State tax prep additional fee

State tax prep additional fee

Earned Income Credit (EITC)

Earned Income Credit (EITC)

Earned Income Credit (EITC)

Earned Income Credit (EITC)

Child Tax Credit (CTC)

Child Tax Credit (CTC)

Child Tax Credit (CTC)

Child Tax Credit (CTC)

Deduct student tuition, payments, and loan interest

Deduct student tuition, payments, and loan interest

Deduct student tuition, payments, and loan interest

Deduct student tuition, payments, and loan interest

Report your retirement income

Report your retirement income

Report your retirement income

Report your retirement income

Digitally organize all of your tax docs for up to six years

Digitally organize all of your tax docs for up to six years

Digitally organize all of your tax docs for up to six years

Digitally organize all of your tax docs for up to six years

Access to live phone or chat tech support

Access to live phone or chat tech support

Access to live phone or chat tech support

Access to live phone or chat tech support

Have a Health Savings Account (HSA)

Have a Health Savings Account (HSA)

Have a Health Savings Account (HSA)

Have a Health Savings Account (HSA)

Deduct real estate taxes and home mortgage interest

Deduct real estate taxes and home mortgage interest

Deduct real estate taxes and home mortgage interest

Deduct real estate taxes and home mortgage interest

Organize contract, freelancing, gig work, and other self-employed income

Organize contract, freelancing, gig work, and other self-employed income

Organize contract, freelancing, gig work, and other self-employed income

Organize contract, freelancing, gig work, and other self-employed income

Report stocks, bonds, and other investment income (Schedule D)

Report stocks, bonds, and other investment income (Schedule D)

Report stocks, bonds, and other investment income (Schedule D)

Report stocks, bonds, and other investment income (Schedule D)

Report cryptocurrency sales

Report cryptocurrency sales

Report cryptocurrency sales

Report cryptocurrency sales

Claim rental income & deductions (Schedule E)

Claim rental income & deductions (Schedule E)

Claim rental income & deductions (Schedule E)

Claim rental income & deductions (Schedule E)

Claim your small business expenses

Claim your small business expenses

Claim your small business expenses

Claim your small business expenses

Report all business deductions and asset depreciation

Report all business deductions and asset depreciation

Report all business deductions and asset depreciation

Report all business deductions and asset depreciation

Can I file my taxes for free by myself?

Can I do my taxes by myself?

How do I file my taxes personally?

How do I file my taxes myself for the first time?