5 Free Tax-Filing Options That Aren't TurboTax

See if you qualify for any of these free tax-filing options.

Senator Elizabeth Warren wrote to TurboTax's parent company, Intuit this week accusing it of "shady business practices." The letter, co-signed by two members of Congress, said the products "scam American taxpayers into paying for services that should be free."

TurboTax no longer participates in the IRS Free File program, which, according to Warren's letter, was supposed to cover 70% of American taxpayers. As of 2018, only 3% of taxpayers participated each year. Warren's solution -- the Tax Filing Simplification Act -- is far from becoming law. So, what other options are there?

READ MORE: Best Free Tax Software

If your adjusted gross income (AGI) is less than $73,000, you may be eligible to use one of the following companies that are a part of the Free File Alliance. The online tax-filing software does the work for you, and in some cases will also help you file your state taxes for free. Each has slightly different requirements, which we've summarized below.

1. TaxAct

TaxAct has good online reviews for its relatively easy-to-use software. Be aware that if you don't qualify for the free state tax filing, it will set you back $39.95.

Criteria:

• Either be 56 years of age or younger and have an AGI of less than $65,000
• Or be in active military service with an AGI of less than $73,000

According to TaxAct's website, if you qualify, you can also file a free state tax return for Arkansas, Arizona, Georgia, Iowa, Idaho, Indiana, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, Montana, North Carolina, North Dakota, New Hampshire, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Virginia, Vermont, and West Virginia.

2. ezTaxReturn

With ezTaxReturn, residents of certain states can file their federal taxes for free. But be aware that you'll need to pay $19.95 for your state tax return. It's also worth noting the company might not be ideal if your situation is not straightforward.

Criteria:

• Have an AGI of $73,000 or less and live in one of the following states: Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Michigan, Missouri, Mississippi, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Virginia or Wisconsin.

3. FreeTaxUSA

FreeTaxUSA is unusual in that it offers free federal tax filing for all customers, and also files your state taxes for free if you meet the requirements. If you don't qualify, state filing costs $14.99.

To qualify for free state tax filing, you'll need to:

• Either have an AGI of less than $41,000
• Or be in active military service with an AGI of less than $73,000

4. TaxSlayer

TaxSlayer offers free federal tax returns for those with straightforward tax declarations. If you don't qualify to file for free, the basic cost to file a federal return is $29.95 and each state return is $39.95.

Criteria:

• Either have an AGI of $39,000 or less
• Or be eligible for the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC)
• Or be in active military service with an AGI of less than $73,000

If you qualify for a free federal return with TaxSlayer, you can also file your state return for free in the following states: Arkansas, Arizona, District of Columbia, Georgia, Iowa, Idaho, Indiana, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, Montana, North Carolina, North Dakota, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Virginia, Vermont and West Virginia.

5. OnLine Taxes

OnLine Taxes does not have age or state restrictions on its electronic federal tax filing. It also offers to file your federal and state tax return at the same time. State filing costs $9.95 if you don't qualify for free filing.

Criteria:

• Either have an AGI of between between $16,000 and $73,000
• Or be in active military service with an AGI of less than $73,000

Bottom line

The issues Senator Warren raises about TurboTax could apply to many so-called free tax services. For example, free products may have hidden fees or charge extra for things like additional customer service support. Several of the sites say in their small print that you need to follow the IRS Free File link to qualify. And the free filing options often only work for those with straightforward filings.

Some of the free sites are not as user-friendly as they could be, so it's a good idea to look at a couple of options before picking one. When you do file, check the information you enter carefully, and pay attention to the state filing options. Filing taxes is stressful enough without getting hit with additional fees just as you're reaching the final stage.