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I-Can tax filing service

Thanks to Flexo I recently found out about I-Can!! online tax filing service. I-Can is a not-for-profit organization that is seeking to help people save some money on tax prep rather than spending a fortune just to get your taxes done.

Unlike most online tax prep services who offer free Federal filing, but charge for filing for your state taxes – I-Can files the state return for free as well (if you happen to be in one of the few states the offer.)

Their site looks very BASIC and doesn’t appear to have any bells or whistles, but it’s free – so I guess we can’t really complain…

I have not used them before and honestly I don’t know if I will, since all of my data from the previous years is loaded with H&R Block online. I don’t really enjoy the tax filing process and am happy to pay $25 for the state filing to make the pain go away quicker!!

Here are a few things they mention on the I-Can site…

I-CAN!™ E-file can help you file your taxes for FREE. There is no income limit to use I-CAN!™ E-file. Just answer simple questions on each screen and print your completed tax return. I-CAN!™ E-file can also e-file (electronically file) your return to the IRS (and your state if applicable).

You can generally use I-CAN!™ E-file unless you own a business, are a church employee or clergy member, sold real estate in 2007 or you or your employer have a non-US address. If you are in the military or you are disabled you may be eligible for tax credits that are not included in I-CAN!™ E-file.

Bottom line: I would say if you are trying hard to save a few bucks and you live in one of the states they offer, it may be worth your time. If not, I would suggest using the option below…

Other options for free online tax filing

Free Federal filing of your taxes

If your adjusted gross income was $54,000 or less in 2007, you can use Free File to prepare and e-file your taxes online.

Check out how to get free Federal tax filing online for the step-by-step process. What you will find is that most major online tax preparation companies are part of this free file program, but you will not be able to access it UNLESS you go through the IRS site. If you go directly to the company’s site, often they will make it difficult to find the free file hoping that you will just give up and pay for filing.

These are a few of the advantages of using the IRS’s free e-file system:

Get a faster refund, in as little as 10 days with Direct Deposit.
File your taxes at anytime: day or night.
Save paper—and that helps all of us.
Benefit from Free File’s automatic checks for accuracy.
Receive a quick confirmation within 48 hours that your return was received.
Know that your return is safe and secure.

Technorati Tags: free tax filing, free online tax

{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }

Shannon February 15, 2008 at 7:13 am: I do my taxes myself, and I hate that the IRS promotes e-filing but the only way to do it seems to be to pay for an accountant or tax software. It’s good to see that a site offers the option for free. Unfortunately, I still don’t qualify because I’m self-employed.
bob February 16, 2008 at 2:59 pm: Bummer, that you don’t qualify… If you do go through the IRS site – they point you to other services that offer most people free Federal return. Which, of course, is better than nothing…
Adam March 1, 2008 at 11:50 pm: If you are interested in filing your state return for free, here is a list of state free file programs.