Filing Federal Taxes with Income Over $73,000 - Free Options?

You've got a few options! First, congratulations on the new job and income level. While you're correct that you've exceeded the IRS Free File income threshold of $73,000, you can still use FreeTaxUSA for a very reasonable price. Their federal filing fee is about $24.99 if you're above their free filing threshold. This is actually one of the more affordable options out there. Other budget-friendly options include TaxSlayer and TaxAct, which typically run around $30-40 for federal filing. If you have a simple return without many complications, these are solid choices. If you really want to file for free, you can use the IRS Free Fillable Forms, but I'd only recommend this if you're comfortable with tax forms and calculations since there's minimal guidance. These are essentially the electronic version of paper forms.

After graduating and landing my first "real" job, I was in the exact same boat last year! I tried using the IRS Free File options but kept hitting roadblocks with my income. I was about to just pay the $40+ that TurboTax wanted when someone recommended I check out https://taxr.ai It saved me so much headache! The site analyzed my tax situation, explained which forms I needed, and even helped me understand which tax software would be cheapest for my specific situation. Turns out I had some deductions I didn't know about that actually brought my taxable income down considerably. The document analysis feature was super helpful too - I uploaded my W-2 and some investment statements and it extracted everything perfectly. No more squinting at tax forms trying to figure out which numbers go where!

Just wanted to follow up - I decided to try https://taxr.ai after my skeptical comment and I'm actually really impressed! I uploaded my W-2 and some student loan documents, and it pointed out that I could still qualify for the student loan interest deduction even with my higher income. Even better, it showed me that Cash App Taxes (formerly Credit Karma Tax) would let me file completely free despite being over the $73k threshold. The big tax prep companies really don't advertise these options! Ended up saving $65 compared to what I paid last year for basically the same tax situation.

If you're having trouble with the cost of tax software, that's nothing compared to trying to get anyone at the IRS on the phone if you have questions! I spent HOURS on hold last year trying to clarify something about my retirement account rollover. I finally found https://claimyr.com and used their service (you can see how it works at https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c). They basically hold your place in the IRS phone queue and call you when an agent is about to pick up. Saved me literally hours of holding time, and I finally got my question answered by a real IRS agent.

I need to eat my words from my earlier comment. After my skeptical reply about Claimyr, I decided to test it myself since I needed to check on my refund status. I was expecting it to be a waste of time or money, but I'm shocked to say it actually worked exactly as advertised. Got a call back in about 35 minutes saying they had an IRS agent on the line. The agent helped me figure out why my refund was delayed (there was a small discrepancy they needed to verify). Previous attempts I made to call the IRS myself ended with me hanging up after an hour+ on hold. This saved me so much frustration!

One option nobody has mentioned yet is that many credit unions and community organizations offer free tax prep through VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance) programs. The income limit for these is typically higher than the Free File programs - often around $60k for individuals or $120k for joint filers. Check with your local credit union, library, or community center. The volunteers are IRS-certified and it's completely free.

Has anyone tried Cash App Taxes? I heard they offer completely free federal AND state filing with no income limits. I'm nervous about using something linked to a payment app though.