• Filing your taxes any hour of the day or night

• Getting a faster refund in as little as 10 days with Direct Deposit

• Knowing that your return is safe and secure.

• Saving paper - and that helps us all.

All Free File options will be available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week through our network of partners, but it's important to remember that you must access Free File through the IRS website, IRS.gov , or the Vermont Department of Taxes website.

Free File is easy to use. Of those who used Free File, 96% rated the program as "easy to use" and 98% said they would recommend it to a friend or family member.

             Click here for a listing of software companies supporting Vermont.

Something for free!

YES. The Free File program is free for qualifying taxpayers to prepare and electronically file their income taxes. Taxpayers must enter through the IRS.gov or tax.vermont.gov links on their web site to use Free File.

It’s not free if you go directly to a company's web site and not through the IRS.gov or tax.vermont.gov links.You may be charged a fee.  The chart identifies companies that offer state return services for free and those that charge a fee.   NOTE:  You are under no obligation to buy any of the company's other products or services.

Why was the Free File Alliance formed?

In November of 2001, the Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) Quicksilver Task Force established 24 e-government initiatives that were a part of the President's Management Agenda. One initiative, IRS Free File, instructed the IRS to provide free and secure online tax return preparation and filing services to taxpayers. In accordance with this OMB directive, the IRS began working in partnership with the tax software industry to develop a solution. The result was the formation of the Free File Alliance, LLC, a group of tax software companies who provide free commercial online tax preparation and electronic filing services.

Why is the government working in a partnership with private industry rather than providing its own software free to the public?

The government believes private industry, given its established expertise and experience in the field of electronic tax preparation, has a proven track record in providing the best technology and services available. Additionally, Treasury has indicated it does not want the IRS to enter into the tax software business. The Government believes a partnership with private industry will provide taxpayers with higher quality services by using the existing expertise of the private sector; maximize consumer choice; promote competition within the marketplace; and meet objectives in the least costly manner to taxpayers.