Other Free Tax Preparation Options

If you do not owe a balance to the IRS and California, or are due a refund, you are allowed to file your 2025 Federal tax return after the April 15, 2026 deadline.  You do not need to file for an extension and may file late.  Note that refunds are not issued if not filed within 3 years.  We do recommend filing to prevent identity theft and to be eligible if any stimulus type payments are made by the federal or state government.

If you owe a balance to the IRS or California and are required to file a 2025 Federal tax return by the April 15, 2026 deadline, the following are some options that might be available, including some that will coach you in preparing your own return.  

Many of the free, volunteer services are not active after the April 15th filing deadline.

We do recommend signing into your tax accounts.  If you have difficulty, you might need a different web browser (such as Google Chrome).  You can check on the status of your account, obtain prior year information, make payments, obtain your IP PIN, and keep others from creating an account using your SSN.

• IRS.gov for your federal tax account

• FTB.ca.gov for your California tax account

Resources :

• Federal Internal Revenue Service (IRS)

  • 800-906-9887

  • IRS Free Tax Return Preparation Programs

  • IRS Free File: https://www.irs.gov/filing/free-file-do-your-federal-taxes-for-free

• California Franchise Tax Board (FTB)

  • 800-852-5711

  • CalFile Ways to File Online

• United Way

  • call 2-1-1 in the SF Bay Area 

  • United Way Bay Area

• AARP Foundation Tax-Aide

  • 888-227-7669

  • http://taxaide.aarpfoundation.org/ 

    • search for Tax-Aide sites

    •  prepare you own taxes online 

In-person sites in San Francisco:

• Mission Economic Development Agency (MEDA)

  • 415-209- 5143

  • MEDA-Plaza Adelante (2301 Mission St)

  • Serving low- and moderate-income families in the San Francisco Bay Area 

• San Francisco Human Services Agency

  • This program is available to filers with a combined household income of $66,000 or less and to older adults, those with limited English proficiency and people with disabilities.

  • Helps you file for Working Families Credit (WFC)

  • It is intended to target those who cannot afford professional services from a paid tax preparer 

• San Francisco State VITA

  • They only print the summary, not the whole return

If you have a Smart Phone, iPad or Tablet

• https://getyourrefund.org 

Paid Preparers

• The IRS maintains a searchable list of credentialed federal tax preparers at irs.treasury.gov/rpo/rpo.jsf.

• The California Society of Enrolled Agents (csea.org) has a search page to locate nearby EAs.