--- title: Most Taxpayers Qualify for IRS Free File. Here’s How to Use It description: Millions of Americans can access free guided tax prep services this year through IRS Free File. Here's who's eligible and how to use it. authors: - name: Adam Hardy role: Lead Data Reporter url: https://money.com/author/adam-hardy/ bio: Adam Hardy is a lead data journalist at Money, where he frequently reports on financial barriers that affect low-income Americans. Adam’s work has also appeared in Business Insider, Forbes, Nasdaq, The Penny Hoarder, Yahoo! Finance and more than a dozen local and regional newspapers. education: University of South Florida, BA, Magazine Journalism at_money_since: 2021 articles: 499 covers: - Taxes - Banking - Business - Career Advice - Credit - Credit Cards - Debt - Economy and Politics - Education - Health and Wellness - Housing - Identity Theft - Insurance - Investing - Lifestyle - Loans - Mortgages - Personal Finance - Pets - Professional Services - Retirement - Shopping - Technology also_seen_in: - The Penny Hoarder - Forbes Advisor - Creative Loafing - The New York Times - The Washington Post - Bloomberg - Harvard Law School - The Federal Register - National Consumer Law Center - CBS News - Becker's Hospital Review - Business Insider - Mother Jones - The Week - Fortune - The Philadelphia Inquirer - National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NAFSAA) - Education Advisory Board (EAB) - The Institute for College Access & Success (TICAS) - This Morning with Gordon Deal - Empower - Reddit social: - https://www.x.com/hardyjournalism - https://www.linkedin.com/in/hardyjournalism/ editors: - name: Julia Glum role: Managing Editor url: https://money.com/author/julia-glum/ bio: A graduate of the University of Florida, Julia has more than eight years of experience in personal finance journalism. In addition to overseeing news and newsletters, she leads Money’s tax coverage, which includes extensive reporting on tax credits, policy changes and the IRS. education: University of Florida at_money_since: 2018 articles: 453 covers: - Taxes - Banking - Business - Career Advice - Credit - Credit Cards - Debt - Economy and Politics - Education - Health and Wellness - Housing - Identity Theft - Insurance - Investing - Lifestyle - Loans - Mortgages - Personal Finance - Professional Services - Retirement - Shopping - Technology also_seen_in: - Newsweek - International Business Times - CBS News - Good Morning America - WUSA9 - Pix 11 - The New York Times - Mashable - The Washington Post - CNBC - Politico social: - https://x.com/superjulia - https://www.linkedin.com/in/julia-glum published: '2026-03-10T15:07:41.000Z' modified: '2026-03-13T20:30:01.000Z' section: Taxes tags: - News word_count: 661 canonical: https://money.com/irs-free-file-income-limit-2026/ type: NewsArticle source: structured-blocks --- > **Disclosure:** We research all brands listed and may earn a fee from our partners. Research and financial considerations may influence how brands are displayed. Not all brands are included. [Learn more](https://money.com/page/disclaimer/). ![Couple filing their taxes](https://img.money.com/2026/02/News-IRS-Free-File-2026.jpg) The IRS is continuing the trend of expanding eligibility for its long-standing free tax filing partnership program. IRS Free File is entering its 24th year this tax season, offering millions of Americans access to free guided tax-prep services. This year, anyone with an adjusted gross income (AGI) up to $89,000 can [e-file their federal income taxes at no cost](https://www.irs.gov/e-file-do-your-taxes-for-free). The new AGI limit marks a $5,000 jump from last year and is one of the largest annual increases in the program’s history. The threshold typically rises between $1,000 or $2,000 in a given year, if it changes at all. The past few years, however, the IRS has made major expansions between $5,000 and $6,000, meaning many Americans are getting access for the first time. ***[Pet protection: See Lemonade's pet insurance options — save and protect your cat or dog from high vet bills.](https://money.com/pr/f23b063f8fe3?data-trk-company=lemonade-pet-review&data-trk-imp=true&data-trk-pcu-type=direct_link&data-trk-pcu-uuid=f23b063f8fe3&encoded_id=)*** Now, more than 70% of taxpayers qualify for IRS Free File, according to Free File Alliance, a coalition of [tax-prep companies](https://money.com/best-tax-prep-software/) that partner with the IRS. Despite broad availability, Free File remains underutilized, with fewer than 3% of taxpayers using the service each year. "There's a common misconception that Free File only supports very simple returns," Tim Hugo, executive director of the Free File Alliance, said in a news release. "In reality, many taxpayers with more complicated returns can still file for free." For instance, Hugo said small business owners, gig workers and landlords with multiple rental properties qualify as long as they fall beneath the AGI limit. (Note: IRS Free File is separate from the agency's [shuttered "Direct File" pilot program](https://money.com/irs-direct-file-end-2026/) that tested federally-run tax filing software.) ### Rated A+ by the BBB ![Get Started](https://s3.consumersadvocate.org/prd/image/image/14979/medium_d9420f2c-6d0b-4726-b903-60fb37740830.png) Our Partner [Get Started](https://money.com/go/8efd93155909?bidid=4063581323&pmeta=p129-c739-u28541&ptid=665770974&ptoken=f074b8ae29550406a7568c4e2d55139b) ### Over 15 years of Experience ![Get Started](https://s3.consumersadvocate.org/prd/image/image/36123/medium_d8e31451-10fb-4690-a053-85981545c371.webp) Our Partner [Get Started](https://money.com/go/cce53d588bda?bidid=4063581327&pmeta=p129-c739-u28541&ptid=665770974&ptoken=7ba08b3fb049ec1452c79da52cc0d9b3) ### 12+ years of tax resolution experience ![Get Started](https://s3.consumersadvocate.org/prd/image/image/19221/medium_21c467f5-9614-45a6-a827-5c1698cf1de6.png) Our Partner [Get Started](https://money.com/go/ea93c100dec4?bidid=4063581321&pmeta=p129-c739-u28541&ptid=665770974&ptoken=724d3301d09f2d4ace18ee97b27ee7f5) ### 21+ years in service ![Get Started](https://s3.consumersadvocate.org/prd/image/image/37015/medium_cb5bc133-3b62-412b-9420-e17d1c5aaa63.webp) Our Partner [Get Started](https://money.com/go/2fb613722976?bidid=4063581326&pmeta=p129-c739-u28541&ptid=665770974&ptoken=677dafda7e64e6581dc49147d6ce62cf) ### 24/7 Client Portal Access ![Get Started](https://s3.consumersadvocate.org/prd/image/image/38669/medium_134094f5-0d61-4290-98dd-6ea7bc5551c2.webp) Our Partner [Get Started](https://money.com/go/97e8a45e8419?bidid=4063581325&pmeta=p129-c739-u28541&ptid=665770974&ptoken=b2b8d91d04acb531ded055dd93a6679e) ## How to use IRS Free File This year, eight companies are offering their guided tax-filing software for free to qualifying taxpayers: - [1040.com](http://1040.com) - [1040Now](https://money.com/pr/va8d9b4be345?data-trk-company=1040now-review&data-trk-imp=true&data-trk-pcu-type=direct_link&data-trk-pcu-uuid=va8d9b4be345&ap_referrer=https%253A%252F%252Fmoney.com%252Firs-free-file-income-limit-2026%252F) - [FileYourTaxes.com](https://money.com/pr/jbdcd581ae01?data-trk-company=fileyourtaxes-review&data-trk-imp=true&data-trk-pcu-type=direct_link&data-trk-pcu-uuid=jbdcd581ae01&ap_referrer=https%253A%252F%252Fmoney.com%252Firs-free-file-income-limit-2026%252F) - [FreeTaxUSA](https://money.com/pr/zd57e388aa6a?ap_referrer=https%253A%252F%252Fmoney.com%252Firs-free-file-income-limit-2026%252F) - [OLT.com (OnLine Taxes)](http://olt.com) - [TaxAct](https://money.com/pr/u7aacdbb6ccb?ap_referrer=https%253A%252F%252Fmoney.com%252Firs-free-file-income-limit-2026%252F) - [TaxSlayer](https://money.com/pr/u03132467030?ap_referrer=https%253A%252F%252Fmoney.com%252Firs-free-file-income-limit-2026%252F) - [ezTaxReturn.com](https://money.com/pr/rc72a84a5e3b?data-trk-company=eztaxreturn-review&data-trk-imp=true&data-trk-pcu-type=direct_link&data-trk-pcu-uuid=rc72a84a5e3b&ap_referrer=https%253A%252F%252Fmoney.com%252Firs-free-file-income-limit-2026%252F) Some of the partners have their own qualifications, including separate income, military status or age requirements, but taxpayers who meet the overall $89,000 income cap will have at least one option to choose from. ***[Bonus money: Deposit funds into a new SoFi Invest Account to earn up to $1,000 in stock.](https://money.com/pr/x00f9061e638)*** Before you get started, be sure to verify your eligibility, as some options allow you to start filling out your taxes only to tell you at the end that you don’t meet their specific requirements. Full eligibility details are [available here](https://apps.irs.gov/app/freeFile/browse-all-offers/), and the [IRS site has a tool](https://apps.irs.gov/app/freeFile/general/) to help you quickly find a filing option based on your situation. One major perk of IRS Free File is that the eight partner companies cannot upsell you during the filing process or offer cash advances on anticipated tax refunds: two lucrative and ubiquitous strategies used by tax companies outside of this program. Once you’ve made your choice, simply follow the prompts and input your information from all your applicable tax forms. Several of the services also offer free state tax preparation. Depending on the company, some state restrictions apply. But OLT and FreeTaxUSA offer free state filing for all states if you meet the federal requirements. ## Other ways to file taxes for free If you have an AGI above $89,000, you can still technically prepare your taxes through the Free File program, but the process is very different. The IRS offers [Free File Fillable Forms](https://www.irs.gov/e-file-providers/free-file-fillable-forms) to taxpayers of all income levels. As the name suggests, Fillable Forms must be filled out manually based on the accompanying instructions. The forms offer very little calculation assistance, as you are expected to do the math yourself. An e-filing option is available once all forms are completed digitally. Alternatively, they can be printed, filled out and mailed directly to the IRS. ***[Save smarter: Take control of your money with the Rocket Money budgeting app.](https://money.com/pr/h160ddd2a8b2?data-trk-company=rocket-money-review&data-trk-imp=true&data-trk-pcu-type=direct_link&data-trk-pcu-uuid=h160ddd2a8b2&encoded_id=)*** Folks who don't qualify for IRS Free File may still have [free tax filing options](https://money.com/how-to-file-taxes-for-free/) with other companies. Regardless of income, [federal taxes are due April 15](https://money.com/when-are-taxes-due/) this year. A handful of states have separate deadlines for state returns. ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "@id": "https://money.com/irs-free-file-income-limit-2026/#breadcrumb", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://money.com" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Taxes", "item": "https://money.com/taxes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Tax Preparation", "item": "https://money.com/tax-preparation/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Most Taxpayers Qualify for IRS Free File. Here’s How to Use It" } ] }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://money.com/#website", "url": "https://money.com", "name": "Money", "publisher": { "@id": "https://money.com/#organization" } }, { "@type": "WebPage", "@id": "https://money.com/irs-free-file-income-limit-2026/#webpage", "url": "https://money.com/irs-free-file-income-limit-2026/", "name": "Most Taxpayers Qualify for IRS Free File. Here’s How to Use It", "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://money.com/#website" }, "datePublished": "2026-03-10T15:07:41.000Z", "mainEntity": { "@id": "https://money.com/irs-free-file-income-limit-2026/" }, "inLanguage": "en-US", "breadcrumb": { "@id": "https://money.com/irs-free-file-income-limit-2026/#breadcrumb" }, "dateModified": "2026-03-13T20:30:01.000Z" }, { "@type": "NewsArticle", "headline": "Most Taxpayers Qualify for IRS Free File. Here’s How to Use It", "articleSection": "Taxes", "image": [ { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://img.money.com/2026/02/News-IRS-Free-File-2026.jpg", "width": 2880, "height": 1920, "caption": "News-IRS-Free-File-2026" } ], "author": [ { "@type": "Person", "name": "Adam Hardy", "url": "https://money.com/author/adam-hardy/", "@id": "https://money.com/author/adam-hardy/#author", "description": "Adam Hardy is a lead data journalist at Money, where he frequently reports on financial barriers that affect low-income Americans. Adam’s work has also appeared in Business Insider, Forbes, Nasdaq, The Penny Hoarder, Yahoo! Finance and more than a dozen local and regional newspapers.", "image": "https://img.money.com/2022/01/a_adam-hardy.jpg?quality=85&w=400&h=440&crop=1", "email": "adam.hardy@money.com", "jobTitle": "Lead Data Reporter", "alumniOf": "University of South Florida, BA, Magazine Journalism", "subjectOf": [ { "@type": "WebPage", "url": "https://www.thepennyhoarder.com/", "name": "The Penny Hoarder" }, { "@type": "WebPage", "url": "https://www.forbes.com/advisor/", "name": "Forbes Advisor" }, { "@type": "WebPage", "url": "https://creativeloafing.com/", "name": "Creative Loafing" }, { "@type": "WebPage", "url": "https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/01/opinion/biden-trump-harris-2024.html", "name": "The New York Times" }, { "@type": "WebPage", "url": "https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2022/12/26/flexible-spending-account-is-flawed-benefit/", "name": "The Washington Post" }, { "@type": "WebPage", "url": "https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2025-09-20/-100-000-h-1b-visa-fee-is-a-gamble-that-could-protect-us-jobs", "name": "Bloomberg" }, { "@type": "WebPage", "url": "https://petrieflom.law.harvard.edu/2024/02/08/whoop-and-the-irs-how-tax-avoidance-helps-health/", "name": "Harvard Law School" }, { "@type": "WebPage", "url": "https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/12/29/2025-23853/weighted-selection-process-for-registrants-and-petitioners-seeking-to-file-cap-subject-h-1b#footnote-33-p60883", "name": "The Federal Register" }, { "@type": "WebPage", "url": "https://www.nclc.org/resources/what-states-can-do-to-stop-credit-reporting-abuses/", "name": "National Consumer Law Center" }, { "@type": "WebPage", "url": "https://www.cbsnews.com/news/open-enrollment-irs-changes-fsa-hsa-flexible-spending-account-health-savings-account-2023/", "name": "CBS News" }, { "@type": "WebPage", "url": "https://www.beckershospitalreview.com/rankings-and-ratings/20-top-us-hospitals-for-2025-per-money/", "name": "Becker's Hospital Review" }, { "@type": "WebPage", "url": "https://www.businessinsider.com/using-chatgpt-ai-write-cover-letters-job-applications-2023-2", "name": "Business Insider" }, { "@type": "WebPage", "url": "https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2026/04/a-major-strike-of-beef-workers-pauses-in-colorado-but-workers-say-the-fight-isnt-over/", "name": "Mother Jones" }, { "@type": "WebPage", "url": "https://theweek.com/business/economy/job-market-frozen-thawing", "name": "The Week" }, { "@type": "WebPage", "url": "https://fortune.com/2023/12/20/workers-lose-money-on-unused-fsa-accounts-deadlines-what-companies-should-do/", "name": "Fortune" }, { "@type": "WebPage", "url": "https://www.inquirer.com/opinion/editorials/liberation-day-tariffs-economy-stock-market-trump-20250401.html", "name": "The Philadelphia Inquirer" }, { "@type": "WebPage", "url": "https://www.nasfaa.org/news-item/37955/Student_Loan_Changes_2026_New_Repayment_Options_Taxable_Forgiveness_and_More_on_the_Way", "name": "National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NAFSAA)" }, { "@type": "WebPage", "url": "https://eab.com/resources/blog/adult-education-blog/graduate-funding-shift-pricing-aid-strategies-aligned/", "name": "Education Advisory Board (EAB)" }, { "@type": "WebPage", "url": "https://ticas.org/california/state-private-loans-protections-blog/", "name": "The Institute for College Access & Success (TICAS)" }, { "@type": "WebPage", "url": "https://thismorningwithgordondeal.com/b/This-Morning-with-Gordon-Deal-August-04,-2026/421564107823081285.html", "name": "This Morning with Gordon Deal" }, { "@type": "WebPage", "url": "https://www.empower.com/the-currency/life/pumpkin-spice-season-spending", "name": "Empower" }, { "@type": "WebPage", "url": "https://www.reddit.com/r/Economics/comments/1va10oa/comment/p0i9bju/", "name": "Reddit" } ], "sameAs": [ "https://www.x.com/hardyjournalism", "https://www.linkedin.com/in/hardyjournalism/" ], "worksFor": { "@id": "https://money.com/#organization" } } ], "publisher": "https://money.com/#organization", "datePublished": "2026-03-10T15:07:41.000Z", "description": "Millions of Americans can access free guided tax prep services this year through IRS Free File. Here's who's eligible and how to use it.", "abstract": "Millions of Americans can access free guided tax prep services this year through IRS Free File. Here's who's eligible and how to use it.", "@id": "https://money.com/irs-free-file-income-limit-2026/", "inLanguage": "en-US", "dateModified": "2026-03-13T20:30:01.000Z", "editor": [ { "@type": "Person", "name": "Julia Glum", "url": "https://money.com/author/julia-glum/", "@id": "https://money.com/author/julia-glum/#author", "description": "A graduate of the University of Florida, Julia has more than eight years of experience in personal finance journalism. In addition to overseeing news and newsletters, she leads Money’s tax coverage, which includes extensive reporting on tax credits, policy changes and the IRS.", "image": "https://img.money.com/2021/10/a_julia-glum.jpg?quality=85&w=400&h=440&crop=1", "email": "julia.glum@money.com", "jobTitle": "Managing Editor", "alumniOf": "University of Florida", "subjectOf": [ { "@type": "WebPage", "url": "https://www.newsweek.com", "name": "Newsweek" }, { "@type": "WebPage", "url": "https://www.ibtimes.com/", "name": "International Business Times" }, { "@type": "WebPage", "url": "https://www.cbsnews.com/news/home-office-tax-deduction-who-qualifies/", "name": "CBS News" }, { "@type": "WebPage", "url": "https://www.goodmorningamerica.com/living/story/coupon-queen-woman-tik-tok-share-tips-couponing-66302189", "name": "Good Morning America" }, { "@type": "WebPage", "url": "https://www.wusa9.com/video/entertainment/television/programs/great-day-washington/tips-to-being-better-with-money-in-2021/65-a5b83e05-73ba-4d60-b9a8-1d47f9ac6018", "name": "WUSA9" }, { "@type": "WebPage", "url": "https://pix11.com/news/coronavirus/rebound/making-ends-meet/millenials-taking-biggest-financial-hit-from-pandemic/", "name": "Pix 11" }, { "@type": "WebPage", "url": "https://www.nytimes.com/2019/09/10/opinion/active-shooter-drill-schools.html", "name": "The New York Times" }, { "@type": "WebPage", "url": "https://mashable.com/article/forrest-fenn-treasure-found", "name": "Mashable" }, { "@type": "WebPage", "url": "https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-nation/wp/2014/08/13/theres-an-app-for-that-authorities-say-man-asked-siri-for-help-dumping-body/", "name": "The Washington Post" }, { "@type": "WebPage", "url": "https://www.cnbc.com/2020/06/08/treasure-buried-by-forrest-fenn-finally-found-after-10-years.html", "name": "CNBC" }, { "@type": "WebPage", "url": "https://www.politico.com/tipsheets/florida-playbook/2017/03/gillum-for-governors-rollout-stumble-florida-woman-gets-trump-shout-out-rubios-tampa-office-problems-218973", "name": "Politico" } ], "sameAs": [ "https://x.com/superjulia", "https://www.linkedin.com/in/julia-glum" ], "worksFor": { "@id": "https://money.com/#organization" } } ], "wordCount": 661, "keywords": [ "News" ], "about": [ { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Tax", "sameAs": [ "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tax" ] }, { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Tax preparation in the United States", "sameAs": [ "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tax_preparation_in_the_United_States" ] } ] } ] } ```