Updated October 24, 2026. Quick answer: IRS Free File is not open for 2027 returns yet. The IRS page, read on October 24, 2026, says “IRS Free File has closed. Please check back January 2027.” The same page prints an income test of $95,000 of adjusted gross income for guided software, while the IRS announcement that opened last season said $89,000. Check the IRS figure when the season opens.
What is not yet announced
The IRS has not published the 2027 Free File partner list or the 2027 opening date. The page this site read on October 24, 2026 carries the closed notice above, and it does not say which tax year its $95,000 figure belongs to. This page therefore shows both IRS figures with their sources and does not pick one for 2027.
What the IRS prints about Free File
| Item | What the IRS says |
|---|---|
| Status of the program now | “IRS Free File has closed. Please check back January 2027.” |
| Guided tax software (age and income test as the page prints it now) | “Age 17 to 85 with $95,000 or less adjusted gross income (AGI)” |
| Guided tax software (last season’s announcement) | “IRS Free File offers eligible taxpayers with an Adjusted Gross Income of $89,000 or less in 2025 access to tax preparation software at no cost.” |
| Fillable Forms | “For any income level” |
| State returns with Fillable Forms | “No state tax filing” |
| Partner eligibility | “Each partner sets its own eligibility criteria (income, age, state residency).” |
| Endorsement | “The IRS does not endorse any individual IRS Free File Guided Tax partner.” |
Last season’s timeline
For the 2026 season the IRS said “The IRS Free File program will begin accepting individual tax returns starting Friday, Jan. 9 for qualified taxpayers.” It added “Taxpayers comfortable preparing their own taxes can use IRS Free File Fillable Forms starting Jan. 26, regardless of income.” The IRS also said “For 2026, there are eight IRS Free File trusted partners.”
What is free and what can cost money
The IRS page describes the guided option as covering the federal return and says a partner may charge for a state return or when the filer does not qualify under that partner’s own rules. It also lists protections: “Selling of bank products, such as a refund anticipation loan (RAL), audit protection or other services are prohibited.” The wider dates for the season are on the when-can-i-file page.
Planning around it
The IRS describes the two options differently. Guided software is described as “Let the software do the work”, while Fillable Forms are described as “You do the work” with “Limited calculations used”. Dated figures for the return itself are on the 2027 tax numbers and the 2027 standard deduction.
Common mistakes
- Going straight to a software company’s site. The IRS page says to start at IRS.gov: “always go through the IRS.gov site to access the IRS Free File tax preparation software.”
- Treating $89,000 or $95,000 as the 2027 limit before the IRS announces it. Both are figures the IRS has printed, from different dates.
- Assuming a state return is free. The IRS says some partners offer it, and Fillable Forms have no state filing.
Related: when you can file taxes in 2027, the 2027 tax numbers, the 2027 standard deduction, and the 2027 child tax credit.
Find the right next step for your situation
About how much do you have invested? Pick the range that fits; your next step appears immediately below.
Talk to an advisor about your tax planning
For U.S. investors with $250,000 or more in investable assets. WiserAdvisor is an independent service matching you with 2 to 3 vetted advisers. Its form asks for your ZIP code and answers to a few questions; a match is not guaranteed.
Free to request, with no obligation to hire. By submitting, you consent to calls, texts and emails from WiserAdvisor and up to three advisers. Advisers pay for introductions.
Clear Money Guide may earn a referral payment for a qualifying completed form. An introduction is not a Clear Money Guide recommendation.
Opens on WiserAdvisor’s site in a new tab.
Explore advisor help with tax planning
Price the destination before you decide. The matching service below introduces you to advisers who pay to meet you.
Before you start, what actually happens. The form is run by Kapitalwise, our advisor-matching partner. Kapitalwise sends your details to advisers who pay for the introduction, so expect calls and texts. Clear Money Guide may earn a referral payment for a qualifying submitted form, whether or not you ever hire anyone. This is free to you and there is no obligation to hire anyone.
The Kapitalwise form opens here; you stay on this page.
What happens when you press the button
It asks about nine questions: age, investable assets, location; then your name, email and phone number, and verifies the phone by text. Nothing loads and nothing reaches Kapitalwise until you press the button.
Prefer flat-fee or hourly pricing instead? Compare ranges here.
Answer againSources
- Internal Revenue Service, IRS Free File, page last reviewed or updated 21 Oct 2026: www.irs.gov
- Internal Revenue Service, 2026 tax filing season opens with several free filing options available (Tax Tip 2026-08, 29 Jan 2026): www.irs.gov
- Internal Revenue Service, IRS announces first day of 2026 filing season (IR-2026-02, 8 Jan 2026): www.irs.gov
Read from the IRS and Treasury documents linked above on October 24, 2026. General information, not tax advice. Your own facts decide the outcome, and a preparer or the IRS itself is the right place to confirm anything consequential.