Free File Fillable Tax Forms

Free File Fillable tax forms are tax forms that the government of the United States makes digitally available.

Free File Fillable tax forms are electronic versions of the United States Internal Revenue Service’s tax forms. The IRS first released the Free File Fillable fax forms in 2009 in hopes to move more tax returns to a digital filing process. The Free File Fillable tax forms allow taxpayers, regardless of their income, to file their taxes online at no cost. The IRS also uses these tax forms to speed up the process of receiving income tax refunds. The electronic forms have minimized the number of errors in income tax filing. Taxpayers can access the Free File Fillable tax forms on the IRS website. Once a taxpayer downloads the forms, they can fill them out by entering their data on their computer directly, without printing out the forms. From there, the taxpayer signs the form on the computer and then files the forms electronically with the IRS.

The Free File Fillable tax forms are exact digital versions of the hard-copy forms individuals use to file their income tax returns. The IRS, however, designed the forms for advanced users who already know which forms they will need to use. Unlike many commercial tax preparation software packages that check the taxpayer’s information systematically to ensure that the taxpayer takes every deduction, the IRS free file fillable forms do not provide any assistance in filing.

In order to file your taxes digitally using the IRS Free File Fillable tax form you need certain information. To properly fill the forms you need a copy of last year's tax return with last year’s adjusted gross income, your Social Security number, as well as your spouse’s and those of any dependents. You will also need access to documents concerning your yearly income, like your W-2 which states your annual wages, your receipts, and documentation of any Social Security benefits or Unemployment Compensation.  If you have a small business or any income from rental, real estate, royalties, partnerships, S corporations, or trusts you will need the official numbers and proper documentation.

In order to file using the Free File Fillable tax form you will also need either your personal identification number and five-digit pin, or your previous year’s AGI, which is found on the tax return. If you can’t find this information, the IRS offers a tool online to retrieve your AGI.