FREE FILE TOOLKIT for Community-Based Organizations Tax Year 2015
Table of Contents Toolkit Overview... 3 Where Do I Start?... 4 Free File Kickoff Plan... 5 Easy Social Media Posts... 6 Social Media Best Practices... 9 Email Template for Community Outreach...12 Press Release Template...13 Op-Ed Template...14 Public Service Announcement Instructions and Template Script...16 Talking Points...17 2
Toolkit Overview What is Free File? Free File is a partnership between the IRS and brand-name tax software companies that provides reputable tax software products to more than 70 percent of all U.S. taxpayers (anyone who made $60,000 or less in 2015) to prepare and electronically file their federal tax returns online all for FREE! More than 40 million people have used Free File since it started in 2003. The software products made available through Free File make tax filing easy, walking the user through the process, cutting down on errors and helping filers get their refunds faster. Importantly, it empowers people to learn more about their taxes and take control of their financial life. Twenty states and the District of Columbia also have State Free File programs, allowing eligible taxpayers to file both their federal and state tax returns for free. Why use this toolkit? This document can serve as a resource to help organizations (like yours!) promote the benefits of Free File within your community while spreading the word about all the services you offer. The Free File Toolkit provides all the tools and resources you may need to deliver additional important tax preparation and financial education information to your community while raising awareness about all the great work your organization does every day. What s the goal? This toolkit was designed to assist our partner organizations to: Help as many qualified tax filers as possible complete their returns and receive their maximum refund with the addition of Free File to their offered services. Earn goodwill and recognition for your organization and Free File among beneficiaries (i.e. eligible taxpayers), elected representatives, government and tax officials, the media and other members of your community. Ensure that taxpayers are able to use the Free File program for years to come. As a community organization, you know you play a critical role in the empowerment of those that you serve. By sharing the benefits of Free File, free tax prep, and financial literacy with your community, you are helping them take control of their financial lives, and ultimately, their futures. We hope as many people as possible use Free File, and for other community leaders to know about the incredible services you provide! So let s get started! 3
Where Do I Start? (Don t worry we know your time and resources are limited!) In the pages below you will find a number of tools to help guide your outreach efforts. We know how busy you all are, so these tools are designed so you can quickly and easily put them into action. Use one or a combination of them to better assist those in need in your community! 6 Quick Ways Spread the Word NOW 1. Find TaxPrepHelp on Facebook and Like us! This will allow you to see future updates from TaxPrepHelp that you can share on your personal or organization s Facebook page. 2. Follow @TaxPrepHelp on Twitter and retweet our content. Just like with Facebook, this will allow you to see our future updates and share our content with your followers. 3. Post and Tweet about Free File to your organization s followers. Here are a few examples, or use our January calendar as a template. Don t forget to tweet at us via @TaxPrepHelp so we can re-tweet your messages! You can also ask other organizations in your area to share your content. 4. Post a fun graphic about Free File on your organization s Facebook page and/or Twitter. Click here for some sample graphics that your organization can utilize or feel free to share TaxPrepHelp s posts. We will be posting a couple of times a week during tax season. Additionally, if you re interested, it is possible for us to create custom graphics for your organization. 5. Add the IRS Free File video to your website. Below the video, click the Share button. From there, you can easily post the video to Facebook or Twitter. Click the Embed link to view source code that can be copied and pasted onto your website. It s easy. We promise. 6. Include a blurb about Free File on your website or newsletter, such as the one here. Feel free just to copy and paste, or tweak it to fit your needs. 3 Extra Ways to Make Sure EVERYONE Knows How to File Their Taxes for Free Now that you ve updated your website, you might as well shout it from the rooftops using your local media: 1. Send a press release out to the local media. Here s a template for you. Done. 2. Place an opinion piece in your local press. For more information on how to do so, click here. 3. Produce a brief public service announcement using the guide found here. Have your own ideas? Use the helpful talking points to write your own materials to help spread the word and let us know what s working! 4
Free File Kickoff Plan What To Do and When To Do It The best time to get everyone s attention on Free File is the beginning of tax season. To have the biggest impact, here are 3 easy things your organization could do to announce the start of Free File: 1. Post about Free File on Facebook and Twitter. This guide offers some handy social media tips and tricks for beginners. If you re already a pro, click here for sample posts to get started. 2. Send an email to your community reminding them of Free File. You can send to a pre-existing email list, share with outreach coordinators in local government, or even post for free to the Community section on your local Craigslist page. If you don t yet have an email list, begin collecting addresses from those who visit your site so you can keep in touch with them in the future. For a template email, click here. 3. Blast a press release announcing Free File out to local media and post it on your website. You can find more information about how to post a press release here. If you have time to do a little bit more in January, follow this easy sample calendar (dates for start of Free File are tentative): SUN MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 21 22 23 28 29 Announce EITC Day by posting a graphic: 30 Post a countdown to Free File on Twitter or Facebook with text or graphics. 17 18 19 20 Free File Opens Share the news with an email blast to your community. Send out a press release about Free File and post it on your website. 24 25 26 27 5
Easy Social Media Posts! Social media is a simple, fast way to share information with your communities. See below for sample Twitter and Facebook posts spread the message about Free File right away. Like us on Facebook at Tax Prep Help and follow us on Twitter @TaxPrepHelp to share any of our posts with your own followers and friends. Feel free to edit and localize your messages! Sample Twitter Posts 70% of taxpayers are eligible to prepare and efile their taxes online for free. Are you one of them? #FreeFile <LINK TO ORG WEBSITE / TAXPREPHELP.ORG> Eligible <INSERT STATE> taxpayers can file their state & federal taxes for free! Are you one of them? <LINK TO ORG WEBSITE / TAXPREPHELP.ORG> FreeFile is here to help low- and moderate-income families save up to $6,000 when filing their taxes for free <LINK TO ORG WEBSITE / TAXPREPHELP.ORG> You may be eligible for FREE online tax software products made available through the IRS #FreeFile Program. Visit <LINK TO ORG WEBSITE / TAXPREPHELP.ORG> to learn more Through IRS #FreeFile you may be eligible to prepare & file your taxes for free! Visit <LINK TO ORG WEBSITE / TAXPREPHELP.ORG> to learn how Overwhelmed at tax time? Don t be! This year, visit us at <INSERT YOUR TWITTER HANDLE / ORG WEBSITE> to learn more about how to file your taxes for free We re proud supporters of the #FreeFile program to help low income families do their taxes easily and for free! Learn more: <LINK TO ORG WEBSITE / TAXPREPHELP.ORG> Sample Facebook Posts Are you eligible to file your taxes for free? Free File allows eligible Americans to file their state and federal taxes free of charge with brand-name tax software products. Visit <LINK TO ORG WEBSITE / TAXPREPHELP.ORG> to see if you qualify. Want a bigger tax refund? Check to see if you re eligible for the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and get up to $6,000 back when you file. If eligible, you can file your taxes for free using the IRS Free File program. Visit <LINK TO ORG WEBSITE / TAXPREPHELP.ORG> to learn more. 6
Easy Social Media Posts! Last year, the average refund for those who claimed the EITC was $2,400. That s a lot of money for families to use in their budgets, and we here at <INSERT ORGANIZATION NAME> want to help you obtain your maximum tax refund. Visit <LINK TO ORG WEBSITE / TAXPREPHELP.ORG> to learn more. At <INSERT ORG NAME> we ve helped over <INSERT NUMBER> taxpayers file their taxes quickly, easily and for free using Free File. Visit <LINK TO ORG WEBSITE / TAXPREPHELP.ORG> to see if you re eligible. Find out if you re eligible to file your taxes for free! <INSERT STATE> Free File allows eligible residents to file their state and federal taxes free of charge. Visit <LINK TO ORG WEBSITE / TAXPREPHELP.ORG> and learn more. Sample Graphics for Social Media See below for a snapshot of the library of graphics that are available to you. Additionally, we can create custom graphics specific to your organization! 7
Sample Financially Smart Social Media Content In addition to creating content, you can also utilize existing financially smart digital media. These resources will not only help inform and teach users key tenets of financial literacy, but also keep them actively engaged throughout the year. The Institute for Financial Literacy provides a listing of public assistance by state in addition to some helpful budgeting tools. Similarly, My Money, created by the congressionally chartered Federal Financial Literacy and Education Commission, offers a plethora of tools and calculators. There are several resources that target a younger demographic, and could be a great resource for college students, or those filing their taxes for the first time. For example, IRS s Understanding Taxes app has several useful simulations and resources for students that are easy to share and promote. It even includes a handy glossary of important tax terms. And for the younger students, the Jump Start Coalition for Personal Financial Literacy has resources targeted at grades K-12. The Khan Academy has several simple and highly relevant educational videos, such as this one on Tax Deductions. Similarly, the National Endowment for Financial Education (NEFE) features a host of resources, from presentations to handouts and more. 8
Social Media Best Practices 5 Tips to Maximize Social Media Engagement With the ability to micro-target specific audiences and place content squarely into users hands via mobile phones, social media campaigns are increasingly becoming a crucial supplement to reach people in your community. Follow these guidelines on all social media platforms (including Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn) to make your campaigns effective in spreading the word about Free File or anything your organization does! 1. Encourage engagement Posting content should have two goals: engagement and actions. Actions, which usually take the form of clicks on a link in your post, are important because they get your followers to the information they need. For example, you may ask users to check their Free File eligibility, learn more about the program, or donate to your organization. However, you also want users to engage with your posts through retweets, likes, comments, shares, etc. because this leads to more people viewing your content. Users are more likely to take an action when a friend shares it or they see that their friend has already taken that action. By increasing your engagement, you are also increasing the number of users who see your content. 2. Post consistently It s important to post regularly to keep your audience engaged. If you post infrequently, users are not seeing your content regularly and are less likely to click it or share it. Quantity is just as important as quality. This is especially key on Twitter because the high volume of content makes it easy for posts to get lost. If you post more often, it s more likely your target audience will see it. Glossary Impression: a user who has seen an ad in their search results or a post on their Facebook or Twitter feeds Retweet: the action of a user reposting a post on Twitter Like: the action of a user indicating they like something on Facebook Promoted posts/tweets: paid advertising to increase the longevity, reach and engagement of Facebook posts, tweets or LinkedIn posts Organic reach: number of people that each Facebook post or tweet on Twitter reaches without any paid advertising If you have a Facebook page, posting content regularly is equally as important because of how Facebook s algorithms decide to show content on a user s newsfeed. If a user rarely clicks on your posts, Facebook will eventually stop showing your posts to that user. If you have an important post, you may want to ask other organizations in your community with an established social media presence if they can share / retweet / repost your content creating a feedback loop what will benefit all your organizations collectively. 9
Social Media Best Practices A content calendar can make it easier to post consistently. All you have to do is create your content up front, and then plan out how you will post that content throughout the month. A simple spreadsheet that includes the content, the platform, any links for the post, and the date you plan on posting the content can help you make sure that you re consistently posting on whatever platforms you use. It also helps you to prepare, so your content is ready well in advance. DAY FACEBOOK/LINKEDIN TWITTER 20-Jun Keep up with current events with the latest news from around the world. Check out the latest coverage here: Check out the latest news from the U.S. and around the world: LINK http://www. nytimes.com INFOGRAPHIC No Once you have your content scheduled, you can use tools (such as HootSuite) to schedule your tweets. HootSuite is an easy-to-use program that allows you to set the date/time that you would like a tweet to be published from your account. This allows you to set a week or more worth of tweets in advance. 3. Use visuals Including some sort of graphic or photo makes it more likely that someone will engage with your post. Users engage with posts that include visuals as much as three times more often than they do with posts that do not include any visuals at all. If possible, the visual should be something creative that encourages the user to both engage with the post and to click on the link in the post. However, if you do not have a specific visual for the post, sometimes using the logo for your website can work just as effectively, as long as you don t do it too often. 10
Social Media Best Practices On Twitter, you can easily include an image with your tweet. In order to do this, you will have to include two links in your tweet. One link is for the website where you are trying to drive traffic, and the other link is for the visual. 4. Link back to specific pages When you ask a user to take a specific action in a social media post, it is important to include a link that takes them to a page where they can take that action. For example, if you are telling users how they can learn more about how to file their taxes for free, be sure to take them to a specific page with that information on it. If you take them to your homepage, they are much less likely to take your desired action. 5. Track what works Both Facebook and Twitter offer tools to track how often your content is shared and what type of content your audience is engaging with most. You can also create bit.ly links to track the number of link clicks each post receives. To do this, you only need to create a free bit.ly account, insert your links into the service to receive shortened (bit.ly) versions, and post the shortened links. You can check the number of clicks that link received by pasting the shortened link into your search bar and adding a plus sign (+) to the end for full analytics on how the link has performed. bit.ly/1usnp1l+ You can easily add a column in your content calendar that tracks all the content you post and how well it performs. This spreadsheet can then be used as a reference when developing new content to keep track of what has worked well in the past in order to create similar material. 11
Email Template for Community Outreach Organizations like yours use a variety of ways to communicate directly to your communities, from newsletters to emails. While we have provided template language that can be used for an email blast to your target communities, this language can also be adapted for newsletter blurbs or other types of outreach. SUBJECT: You File Your Taxes For Free with Free File! <Optional: include personal story about someone in your community who has used Free File. Ex. Susan was one of hundreds of taxpayers in #city# who were surprised happily! to discover that she could really prepare and file her taxes on her own for free. How? By using one of the easy-to-use products made available through the IRS Free File program!> If you made $60,000 or less last year, you re eligible for free tax software products through the Free File program. This program provides free brand-name tax software products to help you quickly and easily do your own taxes. These software products walk you through the process, making tax filing easy to get your refund quickly. Most importantly, it can save you hundreds of dollars! You can do it anywhere you can access the Internet, just visit www.taxprephelp.org <OR INSERT ORG S WEBSITE> to get started. Free File is a public-private partnership between the IRS and the Free File Alliance, a coalition of industryleading tax software companies. More than 70 percent of all U.S. taxpayers are eligible to prepare and electronically file their federal tax returns online for free, and many states [OR INSERT NAME OF STATE IF PARTICIPATING IN STATE FREE FILE PROGRAM] also participate in state-level Free File programs. <Insert story about your organization; for example, how long you have been helping people use Free File, the difference it has made in people s lives, as well as other services your organization offers.> Free File is free, no strings attached. The software products are IRS-approved, meaning they are safe and secure. Free File is also a consumer safety zone, meaning your information won t be shared and nothing will be marketed to you. If you or someone you know qualifies, please take advantage of this program. Free File empowers people by helping them prepare and file their own tax returns, giving them the incentive and the tools they need to control their finances. If you want additional help filing your taxes, volunteers are waiting for you at [INSERT NAME OF LOCAL VITA SITE], a certified Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) site. These volunteers are IRS-certified to help you prepare your taxes. For more information, please contact [INSERT CONTACT NAME AND EMAILS]. Or access Free File from the comfort of your own home! Visit www.irs.gov/freefile and prepare and efile your tax return for free. Just select the Free File product that best suits your needs. Find out more at www.taxprephelp.org [OR INSERT LINK TO YOUR ORGANIZATION S WEBSITE]! 12
Press Release Template Press releases can be a great way to further publicize your organization s support for the program! We have created a template release with placeholder language so you are able to easily and quickly personalize it for your organization. Releases can be emailed to local media, sent through a wire distribution service and posted on your website. This type of outreach is most effective when distributed around tax-related events, such as the IRS s announcement of the Free File start date. Please contact us if you need a list of local media (with email addresses) in your area. [INSERT LOGO OF ORGANIZATION] FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE [INSERT DATE] CONTACT: [INSERT CONTACT NAME AND PHONE NUMBER] FOR ELIGIBLE TAXPAYERS, PREPARING AND FILING TAXES CAN BE FREE AND EASY [INSERT NONPROFIT NAME] IS HERE TO HELP! [CITY, STATE] [INSERT NAME OF ORGANIZATION] is proud to partner with IRS Free File in promoting free tax preparation that could help eligible taxpayers in our community save money at tax time. This program provides taxpayers who made $60,000 or less last year with name-brand tax preparation software products to prepare and file their federal return online for free. [INSERT DESCRIPTION OF WHAT YOUR ORGANIZATION DOES AND IF APPLICABLE, WHY HELPING PEOPLE FILE THEIR TAXES FOR FREE IS IMPORTANT TO YOUR MISSION. YOU MAY ALSO WANT TO INCLUDE HOW MANY YEARS YOU HAVE OFFERED THE PROGRAM, AND OTHER SERVICES YOU PROVIDE.] The IRS Free File program is a partnership between the IRS and the Free File Alliance, a coalition of industryleading tax software companies. Through Free File, eligible taxpayers can easily and accurately complete their federal tax return with the trusted name-brand tax preparation software products of their choice. These products make tax filing easy for users, while capturing all the credits and deductions for which they are eligible. Filing taxes is a lot simpler than you think with the help of the tax preparation software made available through Free File. And if you need additional in person assistance, we at [ORGANIZATION] are here to help, said [INSERT NAME OF EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR]. Beyond saving time and money at tax time, this program helps to empower taxpayers to better understand their finances and take control of their financial lives. The software walks each user through the process, helping them to understand where their money is going, and make goals for the years ahead. [IF RELEVANT, INSERT SENTENCE ON ADDITIONAL FINANCIAL PROGRAMS ORGANIZATION PROVIDES] Since its debut in 2003, the Free File program has helped save taxpayers more than $1.3 billion in tax preparation costs, thanks to the 40 million returns that have been filed through the program. For more information, please visit www.taxprephelp.org or [INSERT LINK TO ORGANIZATION WEBSITE]. 13
Op-Ed Template Most newspapers feature an "Op-Ed" (or Opinion Editorial ) section in which readers and public figures can express viewpoints and/or respond to particular news events. Opinion pages are often the most frequented sections of newspapers and news sites! Each newspaper has its own guidelines for length requirements, but they tend to be around 800 words long. With these longer word requirements, op-eds provide you with the perfect opportunity to describe your point of view in more detail and share all relevant information. To that end, the template op-ed below can serve as a guide for your media outreach. Free File Makes Taxes Worry-Free By [INSERT NAME OF EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, FREE FILE VOLUNTEER, OTHER COMMUNITY LEADER, etc.] Tax season is stressful. Beyond the annual worry about how big your refund will be or how much you will owe, there is the fear of how to fill out your return accurately without missing an important deduction. These decisions are important for many of us, our tax refund is one of the biggest paychecks we see all year. For many Americans, though, there is an easy solution through a program called Free File. Thanks to a partnership between the IRS and some of the nation s most trusted tax software companies, most Americans can file their taxes for free. These companies donate their software products through the IRS, meaning it doesn t cost the government or taxpayers a dime. Additionally, these commercial software products are approved by the IRS, ensuring the process is completely safe and secure. [INSERT DESCRIPTION OF YOUR ORGANIZATION AND WHY TAXES AND FREE FILE ARE IMPORTANT TO YOUR COMMUNITY/CONSTITUENTS. YOU MAY ALSO WANT TO INCLUDE HOW MANY YEARS YOU HAVE OFFERED THE PROGRAM, AND OTHER SERVICES YOU PROVIDE.] Anyone who made $60,000 or less last year is eligible for the Free File program. Taxpayers living in [STATE, IF APPLICABLE] can also file their state taxes for free through the program. The software products made available through Free File walk you, step-by-step, through an interview-like process to seamlessly fill out the return without the need to identify what forms are needed or what credits and deductions are appropriate. The Free File program has been helping Americans save money for more than a decade. More than 40 million returns have been filed through the program, saving taxpayers more than $1.3 billion in tax preparation costs. The software products also ensure that you get all of the credits and deductions you deserve. More than just saving time and money, this program empowers people to better understand their finances, take control of their financial lives, and better meet their savings goals the following year. Taking the time to do your own taxes offers an annual once-a-year opportunity to sit and think about your finances from the past year and assess your goals for the future. As the twists and turns of the economy in recent years has taught us, staying on top of your finances and having money saved are key to protecting our, and our families, future. The money saved through the program can help Americans take a step toward achieving this. Because it s online, taxpayers can use Free File anywhere where they have access to the Internet: at home, a public library, a school, or a community center. 14
Op-Ed Template [NAME OF ORGANIZATION] has been proud to assist our community for over [X] years in helping people keep more of their hard-earned money and take control of their financial lives. We have seen first-hand the difference a few hundred dollars can make for a family that wants to pay down debt, provide for their children, or put aside some money for savings. [NAME OF ORGANIZATION] provides Free File and programs like it for this very reason. Tax time need not be stressful. Free File offers millions of Americans the opportunity to take control of their finances and get all the money they deserve, worry-free. Learn more at [INSERT LINK TO ORGANIZATION or http://freefile.irs.gov]. 15
Public Service Announcement Instructions and Template Script A public service announcement (PSA) is an effective and low-cost way to reach key audiences and spread the message about Free File. A PSA should be no longer than 30 seconds, so be sure to make your message as succinct as possible. Below, we have provided a template script for a PSA on the Free File program as well as instructions on how to develop a PSA. Feel free to use this script as a template, and to edit it to best fit your organization and community. How to Produce a PSA: 1. Identify the speaker for your PSA. Ideally it should be a director or executive from your organization who is comfortable speaking on camera. 2. To record the video, you have two options: a. Work with a local television station to produce the video. Often, stations will provide studio time as a public service and then air it themselves. i. Contact a producer at a local television station and explain your organization and the purpose of the PSA. ii. Discuss with the station whether the PSA can be distributed to other stations as well. b. Hire a videographer to film the PSA. Ensure that the videographer can record broadcast-quality video. i. After recording the video, contact producers at local television studios. ii. Keep the video simple. A person sitting in front of a logo or plain background is sufficient. 3. Once the video is recorded, contact local television producers and explain to them your organization and the issue to see if they will donate airtime. The PSA can either be distributed by DVD or using a file-sharing service such as DropBox. Sample Script: 30-Second Public Service Announcement Prepare and File Your Tax Return At No Cost Hi, I m [NAME], from [ORGANIZATION] with important news about filing your taxes. If you or someone you know made $60,000 or less last year, you may be eligible for the Free File program. Free File provides free tax preparation software products from some of the most trusted tax prep companies through a partnership with the IRS. These products are IRS-approved, safe and secure. Or, if you d like additional help in person, we at [ORGANIZATION] are here to help for free. We ve been helping people in our community for over [X] years take control of their financial lives. Before you file your taxes this year, visit taxprephelp.org [OR ORGANIZATION S WEBSITE] to see if you re eligible. 16
Talking Points To begin spreading the word about Free File, it s helpful to have a set of basic messages to guide conversations and address the important aspects of the program. These talking points provide some guidance on how to describe the program and its benefits, and can be used as a basis for all other outreach. You should also feel free to weave in points about your own organization including how Free File has helped taxpayers in your community and the other services you offer. What is Free File? Free File provides free tax preparation software products to low and middle income Americans through a partnership between the IRS and brand-name tax software companies. Free File is available to any taxpayer who made $60,000 or less in 2015 the highest income threshold in the program s history. o 70 percent of all American taxpayers are eligible for the program. o Last year, 3 million low and moderate-income taxpayers across the country were able to take advantage of free tax software products through this partnership. o Additionally, 20 states and the District of Columbia have similar partnerships to offer Free File at the state level meaning eligible taxpayers can file both their federal and state returns for free using safe and secure, industry-leading software products. By visiting TaxPrepHelp.org and taking a short survey, taxpayers can find out whether they are eligible to file their state and federal taxes for free through Free File. Why is talking about tax time and Free File important? Tax preparation allows millions of families each year to better understand their finances and savings goals. Using Free File can help taxpayers keep more of their hard-earned money. Using Free File to complete a tax return and take advantage of credits and deductions empowers taxpayers to take control of their personal finances year-round. As 70 percent of all taxpayers are eligible for Free File, there is likely a large population in your community that can benefit from this program and from learning more about it. What are the benefits of Free File to the low-income taxpayers in your community? Free File not only saves on the cost of tax preparation, but also helps taxpayers keep as much of their hard earned refund as possible by capturing all the credits and deductions for which they are eligible. o Free File has saved taxpayers nearly $1.3 billion in tax prep fees since 2003. 17
Talking Points Free File offers taxpayers the ability to file using tax preparation software from companies they recognize and trust. o All of these products have been vetted and approved by the IRS, keeping information safe and secure. o Free File makes electronic tax filing easy, which reduces errors and results in a faster refund. Free File is convenient it allows taxpayers to do their taxes anywhere there is computer and Internet access. o If taxpayers do not have computer access or need additional help, they can receive free, in-person assistance with Free File by visiting a Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) site and speaking with an IRS-certified tax expert. o These sites are usually located in community or neighborhood centers, libraries, schools, shopping malls and other convenient locations. If you are eligible for Free File, you may also qualify for the Earned Income Tax Credit which means up to $6,200 back in your pocket. The Free File software will help you determine if you are eligible and the amount of the tax credit. For more information about the benefits of Free File, taxpayers can visit IRS.gov/FreeFile. 18