[Updated on January 31, 2024 for 2023 tax filing.]

Once I was able to e-file my tax returns by way of TurboTax downloaded software program, it mentioned that federal e-file was free and I may pay one other $25 to e-file the state tax return on the similar time. Contemplating that I paid solely $30 for the software program that features all of the complicated logic to arrange each the federal and the state tax returns, $25 for merely transmitting the information and just for the state portion appears outrageous.

It isn’t simply TurboTax. H&R Block does the identical. Federal e-file is free however you will need to pay further in case you additionally need to e-file the state return. Solely New York bans tax software program distributors from charging further for e-filing the state return.

Little question many individuals relent and simply pay the $25. Tax software program distributors comprehend it, they usually’re relying on this for his or her income. I can afford $25. I’d don’t have any downside with it in the event that they included it within the value upfront and bought the software program for $55 versus $30. I simply hate this sneaky tactic.

Printing and mailing the state return isn’t essentially the one different although. Many states settle for e-filing instantly on the state income company’s web site. E-filing a return on the state’s web site solely takes a couple of minutes when you have already got the finished kinds from the tax software program.

The online type on my state’s web site is simply an interactive illustration of the identical paper type. In addition to private info, I principally entered two numbers from my federal tax return – the AGI and the usual deduction. All the remaining had been mechanically calculated.

Right here I collected the out there direct e-file hyperlinks for all 50 states and Washington, DC. Please let me know if I missed any.

In case your state gives direct e-file, at the very least strive it as soon as. You possibly can all the time return to paying $25 in case you don’t like e-filing instantly. In case your state doesn’t supply direct e-file, printing and mailing isn’t that unhealthy both. States don’t have a giant backlog of paper returns because the IRS does. Once I lived in California, they didn’t enable direct e-file in case you had an HSA. I had mailed my state tax return for a few years and I by no means had any issues.

You save $25, and extra importantly, you be ok with not falling prey to a giant company’s pricing recreation. You get the higher product while you use downloaded tax software program and also you pay almost half the value than utilizing the software program on-line.