| If you need to file your taxes and you are looking into | | | | costs of convenience and electronic filing, you should |
| free tax filing services you should be sure that there | | | | be aware that many tax service options that say that |
| are some hidden costs involved most of the time. | | | | they are free don't charge you, but you lose money |
| While many services boast a lack of hidden costs, it is | | | | because the system is not able to pick up all of the |
| almost inevitable that you will pay something, though | | | | deductions that you may be able to take. This takes |
| the service claimed to be free. The fact of the matter | | | | money out of your pocket. Many people end up owing |
| is that many services claim to be free, but then you will | | | | money to the IRS when they use these services |
| pay to file the returns electronically; therefore the | | | | when they could have had a refund if they had used a |
| services are not free at all! | | | | different service or done their taxes on their own. |
| The way that online free online tax filing services get | | | | The hidden costs of free online tax preparation |
| away with calling their services free is that they say | | | | services can cost tax payers quite a bit of money. |
| that the service is free; you simply have to pay a | | | | This is why you should be assure free tax providers |
| convenience fee as well as the price of filing | | | | really know what are they doing and will go to bat for |
| electronically. What this means is that you can end up | | | | you looking for deductions that will save you money, |
| walking away from your free tax preparation with a bill | | | | and perhaps get a great refund for you. Ask about the |
| for $50 or more. This really isn't a bad deal, but when | | | | systems that they use and also ask for credentials |
| you think that you are getting something for free it can | | | | before you accept the supposedly free help from |
| be quite a shock to receive a bill for this dollar amount. | | | | someone. The saying that says "you get what you |
| There are cheaper tax service options out there, but | | | | pay for" applies to free tax filing services as well as |
| generally if you want to have your taxes done right | | | | other things. |
| you will need to pay a bit. Other than the actual hidden | | | | |