For a 2025 U.S. tax return filed during the 2026 season, start with IRS Free File if your adjusted gross income (AGI) is $89,000 or less. The IRS lists guided software from participating partners, each with its own eligibility rules; some offers also include free state filing. If you prefer preparing forms yourself, IRS Free File Fillable Forms is another option regardless of income. Commercial free editions from TurboTax and H&R Block may fit simple returns, but only when your forms and circumstances meet their limits.
Which free tax software can you use for a 2025 return?
The right choice depends on your AGI, the forms your return requires, whether you need a state return, and whether you want guided interview software or to fill in forms yourself. There is no evidence-based universal winner among these options: compare eligibility and form coverage before entering your information.
| Option | Who may use it | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| IRS Free File guided software | For 2025 returns filed in 2026, taxpayers with AGI of $89,000 or less may qualify. Participating partners can add eligibility rules. | Partner criteria, supported forms, and whether the selected offer includes your state return at no charge. |
| IRS Free File Fillable Forms | Available regardless of income to filers comfortable preparing their own forms. | Whether self-directed electronic forms suit your needs; this is not the same as guided interview assistance. |
| TurboTax Free Edition | Some taxpayers with simple Form 1040 returns and only the forms or schedules it supports. | Eligibility and whether your income, deductions, and credits fit its published form list. |
| H&R Block Online Free Edition | Some taxpayers with simple returns within its listed Form 1040 coverage. | Eligibility, exclusions, and whether your return needs a schedule or form outside the free edition. |
The IRS said eight trusted partners offered Free File for the 2026 filing season. Its March 10, 2026 guidance says guided software is available to taxpayers with 2025 AGI of $89,000 or less; individual partners may set additional criteria such as age, state residency, or military status. Use the IRS directory to find an offer and review its terms rather than assuming every partner accepts the same returns.
Start with IRS Free File if you meet the income threshold
IRS Free File is the best first checkpoint for taxpayers seeking no-cost guided federal filing because the IRS directory identifies the participating offers and their terms. The $89,000 AGI threshold applies to 2025 returns filed in the 2026 season—not to 2026 tax-year returns. The IRS says providers may support some returns involving credits, deductions, and business expenses, depending on the partner and applicable tax rules, so do not assume Free File is only for W-2-only returns.
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- Go to IRS.gov/FreeFile.
- Check that your 2025 AGI meets the guided-software threshold and review each offer’s additional eligibility conditions.
- Confirm the partner supports the forms and schedules your return requires.
- Check whether the offer includes filing for your state at no charge; free state filing is not universal.
- Open the offer through the IRS directory and follow that provider’s instructions.
Use Fillable Forms if you want to prepare the return yourself
IRS Free File Fillable Forms are electronic versions of IRS forms, with instructions and publications available. The IRS identifies them as an option regardless of income. They are intended for people comfortable selecting and completing forms themselves, not as an equivalent to guided software that walks a filer through an interview.
When TurboTax Free Edition may fit
Intuit describes TurboTax Free Edition as intended for simple Form 1040 returns. Its free tier permits only specified schedule exceptions: those needed for the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), Child Tax Credit (CTC), student-loan interest, and Schedule 1-A. Listed situations include W-2 income, certain interest and dividends that do not require Schedule B, the standard deduction, specified credits and deductions, and taxable qualified retirement-plan distributions. Check Intuit’s current form list before starting if you have any other income or tax situation.
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Intuit estimates that roughly 37% of taxpayers qualify for its Free Edition. That is the company’s estimate, not an independent assessment of how many filers can use free tax software overall. See TurboTax Free Edition details.
When H&R Block Online Free Edition may fit
H&R Block describes its free online edition as covering Form 1040 with no schedules other than those for EITC, CTC, student-loan interest, and retirement-plan distributions. Its examples of included situations include W-2 employment, unemployment income, students, and specified credits. The company lists capital gains and losses, business income and expenses, foreign income, and health savings accounts (HSAs) among exclusions, along with other unsupported complex situations.
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- Forms and schedules: Match the provider’s published coverage to every form your return requires. A free tier may not cover a return simply because your income seems straightforward.
- Eligibility: Check the IRS AGI threshold and the selected Free File partner’s additional rules. Commercial free editions have their own eligibility limits.
- State filing: Verify the price for the specific state return you need. Some IRS Free File partner offers include free state filing, but not all do.
- Preparation style: Choose guided software if you want an interview-driven process; choose Fillable Forms only if you are comfortable preparing forms yourself.
- Help included: Review what support the particular offer includes. Available evidence does not establish a reliable ranking of providers’ support quality or ease of use.
If a free product does not support a required form, do not assume you can complete the return without it. Check another eligible IRS Free File partner or another legitimate filing option, and compare any federal and state charges before proceeding.
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Which route should you choose?
- AGI of $89,000 or less and want guidance: Begin with the IRS Free File directory, then verify partner eligibility, forms, and state coverage.
- Above the guided Free File threshold or prefer self-preparation: Check whether Fillable Forms meet your needs and whether you are comfortable completing the return yourself.
- Simple return and considering a commercial free edition: Compare your forms with TurboTax’s or H&R Block’s published limits before investing time in an account or interview.
- Return includes forms excluded by a free tier: Look for a different eligible Free File offer or compare other filing routes and their fees.
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