About Filing Taxes

In the U.S., filing taxes is something you need to do every year. If you just arrived in the U.S. or have never filed taxes before, we strongly recommend learning the basics first, then following the appropriate steps based on your situation. The 2023 deadline is April 18, and the earlier you file, the sooner you can get your return.

For most international students and visiting scholars, the tax situation is relatively simple, so there is usually no need to spend a lot of money on expensive tax software or hire a CPA. Free filing options are often enough. However, you do need to confirm your tax status and income range to see whether you qualify for these free services. Below, we’ll go over some common ways to file taxes for free.

Comparison of Free Tax Filing Methods

To make things easier to read and save everyone time, here is a quick comparison of free tax filing options. You can choose the method that best fits your situation.

Method Income Range Tax Filing Scope Available for NRA? State Tax Quick Take
File manually yourself No limit No limit Yes Free Do it yourself and stay self-sufficient
IRS fillable forms No limit 1040 and related schedules No Not included Basically DIY filing, except you can efile
8 IRS partner websites Below $73,000 1040 (varies by site) No Some states free IRS partners, generally fewer pitfalls
Cash App Tax Not mentioned Wages, unemployment, investments, stocks, interest, various credit No Available in some states Very consumer-friendly
Turbo Tax Not mentioned standard deduction, small amount of interest No Free Tries to upsell you to a paid version
H&R Block Not mentioned simple tax, unemployment, W2, CTC No Free Tries to upsell you to a paid version
Tax Act Not mentioned unemployment, W2, CTC, EIC, can add dependent No Not free Tries to upsell you to a paid version
Tax Slayer Below $100,000 W2, small amount of interest, unemployment, no dependent No Free Tries to upsell you to a paid version
Volunteer services Below $58,000 No limit Yes Free Best to ask first
Military members and families No limit No limit No Free None

*The tax filing scope listed above may not be fully accurate. Please refer to the final eligibility details provided by each website.

Filing Taxes Manually Yourself

Although the U.S. tax code is complicated, filing taxes is actually quite simple for people with straightforward income. Back when I was a student, I filed my own taxes for 4 straight years. You just choose the correct forms based on your status, then fill them out one by one using the IRS instructions. It’s basically TOEFL reading-level material. The calculations on the forms are just basic addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division, so it doesn’t take that much effort. On top of that, filing your own taxes helps you better understand U.S. culture and tax rules, so when tax-related matters come up later, you’ll at least have a basic understanding and be less likely to get scammed or accidentally commit tax evasion.

When I first started, I downloaded Form 1040 and other related forms directly from the IRS, filled them out, then printed and mailed them. Now the IRS also offers electronic fillable forms, which are even easier. If you qualify, you can even efile directly.

Fill Out the 1040 Series Yourself

Below are common tax forms for 2023. You can download the appropriate forms based on your status and income, then complete them by following the instructions. We recommend following the steps we listed one by one first. If anything is unclear, you can check the links in the article.

Common forms for self-filing are listed below. After downloading and completing them, just print them out and mail them to the designated address to finish filing your taxes.

If you filed taxes in previous years and this year you haven’t moved or changed your types of income, the easiest approach is simply to “copy” last year’s tax return. Usually, the yearly changes are just tax rates, income thresholds, and the addition of some credit, while the overall filing logic stays the same.

Use IRS Fillable Forms Online

This year, the IRS offers online fillable forms that you can complete directly on the web. Check whether your income and tax status qualify, and don’t waste money buying tax software unnecessarily.

Note that you need to register an IRS account to use this service, and the account needs to be re-registered every year.

These electronic forms also support adding Schedule A, Schedule C, and 8433 (China’s tax treaty), which is very convenient.

IRS Free Tax Filing Partners

This year, the IRS lists 11 partner providers on its official website that offer free tax filing services, which is very helpful. Keep in mind that different services have different eligibility requirements. For example, some require your income to fall within a certain range, some are only available in certain states, and some support state tax filing while others do not. Be sure to read the details carefully so you don’t choose the wrong one.

You can also use the IRS questionnaire tool to determine which partner service you qualify for. It really walks you all the way through.

After you choose one, you’ll be redirected to the corresponding provider’s website, where you can complete and file your return.

Free versions of commercial tax software

These days, most major commercial tax-prep software providers offer free versions to attract more users. If your income and tax situation are simple, you may be able to file for free using one of these services. Of course, if you get halfway through and realize you need a paid version, they’re happy to upsell you on the spot.

One important thing to note: these free versions generally only support Form 1040. If you need to file Form 1040NR, they won’t work for you, so be sure to check before you start.

H&R Block

H&R Block offers several versions of its tax filing service. If your tax situation is simple—for example, you’re a student, unemployed, have only W-2 income, or only need to claim the Child Tax Credit—you may be able to use its free online filing service.

Turbo Tax

TurboTax also offers a free filing option, but you’ll need to create a TurboTax account before you can use it. One advantage is that both federal and state tax returns can be filed for free.

The eligible scenarios are similar: generally only W-2, 1099-INT/DIV, standard deduction, EIC, Child Tax Credit, and student loan interest deduction are supported. It can only be used for Form 1040, so if you need the NRA version, this won’t work.

Tax Act

Tax Act also offers a similar free tax filing service: federal filing is free, while state filing costs an additional $34. As with the others, this is intended for simple tax returns.

Tax Act does a nice job here by also listing the items that are not included.

Tax Slayer

Tax Slayer also offers a free tax filing version.

Its covered filing scenarios are shown below.

Cash App Tax (formerly Credit Karma Tax)

Credit Karma was acquired by Cash App. If you want to keep using its free tax filing service, you’ll need to sign up for Cash App. The big advantage is that it’s completely free, because it doesn’t have a paid tax filing tier to upsell.

One benefit of Cash App Tax is that it supports far more forms than the free versions from other commercial providers. The screenshot only shows part of the list; the full set of supported forms is available at the link below.

For state tax returns, 40 states support free e-filing.

If you previously used Credit Karma Tax and need to import your prior data, see this link.

Volunteer tax filing services

If your English is limited and your income is low enough to qualify for Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA), or if you are a senior eligible for the Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE) program, you may be able to get free help from volunteers. You can use the link below to find volunteer tax-prep sites near you. It’s a good idea to call ahead before going; international students who meet the requirements may also qualify.

A friend of mine previously volunteered with VITA. In practice, the role was mostly operating the software on a computer, entering information, and helping explain or translate things for filers.

Military members and their families

If you are a member of the U.S. military, the IRS provides several free filing options. You can use IRS Free File Fillable Forms, or file for free through a platform called MilTax. I won’t go into detail here.

Summary

If your income and tax situation are fairly simple, any of the free filing methods above may work for you. Just pay attention to each option’s eligibility rules, such as income limits, which forms and types of income are supported, and whether state filing is free.