Americans pay an average of about $290 to file their tax return each year, according to the National Taxpayers Union. There's ...

Natalie Campisi is a senior journalist who covers personal finance, balancing timely news with in-depth enterprise reporting. Her mission is to make complex financial issues clear and accessible for ...

Many DIY tax software programs offer free tax filing for basic tax situations. But if your income is complex, most will prompt you to upgrade to a paid version. Dawn Allcot is a full-time freelance ...

Free File is not Direct File, which the IRS has discontinued for the 2026 tax season. This tax season, according to the IRS, eight private-sector partners are offering guided tax software products ...

We compared the top free tax software options to help the do-it-yourself tax filers find the cheapest option in 2026.