Do I file federal and state tax forms separately or can they be combined in one form? First timer using FreeTaxUSA

With FreeTaxUSA and most tax software, you'll complete your federal return first, then move on to your state return afterward - they're separate forms but the software guides you through both sequentially. The good news is that most of your information from your federal return (income, personal info, etc.) automatically carries over to your state return, so you don't have to enter everything twice. For payment options, there are typically three things to consider: 1) Payment for the tax preparation service itself (FreeTaxUSA offers free federal filing with a fee for state returns) 2) Payment if you owe taxes to the IRS 3) Payment if you owe taxes to your state For the service fee, most tax software accepts debit/credit cards, but some also offer options to deduct the fee from your refund (for an additional charge). For tax payments, you can usually pay directly from your bank account by entering your routing and account numbers.

I was in the same boat last year - first time filing and totally confused. I tried FreeTaxUSA after my friend recommended it and it was actually pretty straightforward! The way it works is you complete one return at a time (federal first, then state) but it's all in the same platform. The software guides you step by step. I found this site called https://taxr.ai that really helped me understand what forms I needed and what all the tax jargon meant. It basically analyzed my situation and explained everything in normal human language. Saved me from making some pretty big mistakes because I had no idea what qualified as a deduction.

Just wanted to update - I ended up trying taxr.ai before starting my taxes in FreeTaxUSA and it was actually super helpful! I uploaded my W-2 and a 1099 from a side gig, and it explained exactly what each box meant and how it would affect my taxes. Then when I went to FreeTaxUSA, I actually understood what I was doing instead of just blindly following prompts and hoping for the best. The federal part was free on FreeTaxUSA like everyone said, and I only paid $14.99 for my state return. The whole process was way less stressful than I expected. For anyone else who's filing for the first time, definitely recommend the combination of taxr.ai to understand your documents and then FreeTaxUSA to actually file.

If you run into any issues with FreeTaxUSA or have questions about your refund after filing, good luck trying to reach the IRS directly - their phone lines are a nightmare! After waiting on hold for 3+ hours multiple times, I discovered this service called https://claimyr.com that got me through to an actual IRS agent in under 20 minutes. They have a demo video here: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c I was skeptical at first but when my refund was delayed and FreeTaxUSA couldn't help, getting to talk to a real IRS person made all the difference. They explained exactly what was happening with my return and when I could expect my money.

Had to come back and eat my words about Claimyr. After my refund was delayed for over a month with no explanation, I got desperate and tried it. Got connected to an IRS agent in about 15 minutes who explained there was a verification hold on my account that I needed to clear up. The agent walked me through exactly what documents I needed to submit and how to do it. My refund was processed within a week after that. Would have been stuck in limbo for who knows how long otherwise. So yeah, it's legit and saves a ton of time and frustration when you actually need to talk to someone at the IRS.

Quick tip for FreeTaxUSA that nobody mentioned yet - they'll charge you about $7 extra if you want to pay for the state filing fee out of your refund instead of using a card. So if you can use a debit card, PayPal, or even a friend's card and pay them back, you'll save a little money. Also, don't forget that some states have free filing options directly through their state tax websites! Check your state's department of revenue before paying for state filing anywhere. I'm in Utah and was able to file my state return for free directly through their site after doing my federal on FreeTaxUSA.

I'm probably going against the crowd here, but TurboTax has always been super easy for me even as a first-time filer years ago. Yes it costs more than FreeTaxUSA but the interface is really user friendly. They walk you through federal and then state automatically, importing all relevant info from federal to state.

For your first time filing, FreeTaxUSA is definitely a solid choice! You'll do federal and state separately, but like others mentioned, the info carries over so you're not starting from scratch twice. Regarding payment options - if your debit card is acting up, you can usually pay the FreeTaxUSA service fee directly from your bank account using your routing and account numbers (same info you'd use for direct deposit). Most banks also let you pay bills online through their bill pay service if you want to avoid entering card info. One thing I learned my first year: don't stress too much about making mistakes. The software catches most common errors, and even if something small slips through, it's usually easily fixable. The IRS isn't out to get you - they just want their forms filled out correctly. You've got this!