Governor McDonnell Urges Eligible Virginians to Take Advantage of Free Tax Prep Program

Press Release

Today, Governor Bob McDonnell urged low- and moderate-income Virginians to find out if they are eligible for the Virginia Free File program, which would allow them to prepare and file their state and federal income taxes online for free using name-brand tax software.

"In Virginia, we have worked to make tax season easy and efficient for all taxpayers. The Free File program is specifically designed to help working Virginians save on the cost of tax prep, hold on to more of their hard-earned money, and not cost a dime of taxpayer dollars. However, many Virginians eligible for the program don't use it. If you made less than $57,000 in 2012, I urge you to visit the Virginia Department of Taxation website and learn how you can use the Virginia Free File program to save this tax season," said Governor McDonnell.

Virginia Free File is a public-private partnership between the Virginia Department of Taxation and the Free File Alliance, a coalition of tax-software companies. The Virginian Free File program is one of 22 state programs plus the District of Columbia modeled after the highly successful Internal Revenue Service Free File program used by millions of taxpayers to e-file their federal income tax returns for free. Free File lets eligible taxpayers e-file their state and federal tax returns for free online using commercial tax-preparation software. Free File supports the Virginia 760 form for residents, the 760PY form for part-year residents, and the 763 form for non-residents.

E-filing is the easiest, fastest and safest way to file your taxes. Taxpayers who file online and request direct deposit can expect to receive their refunds in a matter of days instead of weeks for those who file on paper.

Most taxpayers who don't qualify for VA Free File can still file their taxes online for free, using the Department of Taxation's Fillable Forms program. The Fillable Forms return is an online version of Virginia's 760 return and schedules for Virginia residents. There are no income thresholds, and simple math calculations are done for you. This is another great alternative for taxpayers who currently complete and file their returns on paper. To learn more about VA Free File and Free Fillable Forms, go to the Department of Taxation's website at http://www.tax.virginia.gov/ and click on the e-file announcement.

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