When Can I Start My Efile?

It’s a new year and the start of the ever dreaded tax season. But, if you’re expecting a tax refund this year, you may be eager to get started with your taxes.

Some efile tax solutions, such as TurboTax and  H&R Block, allow you to efile taxes as early as January 1st — however, generally the IRS begins to accepts independent efiling by January 11th. Before starting your efile, you need to be sure you have all your tax forms in hand — that is all W2 forms or 1099 forms from all employers you’ve had in the past year.

Employers are required to send you your tax forms by the end of January — at which point you can begin your eFile. You can start your eFile after January 1st 2012 and after you have all of your tax forms in hand. If you do not receive your tax forms from your employer by the beginning of February you should contact your employer.

TurboTax and  H&R Block both will allow you to file a form Form 4852  with estimated earnings as a replacement for a missing W-2.

Best Free eFile Tax Programs

Now that you’re ready to begin your taxes, the next step is to choose an eFile program. Many are free for Federal returns, and charge a fee for state filing. We recommend the following tax software:

• TurboTax – Free Federal and $29.95 State
• H&R Block At Home – Free Federal and $29.95 State

Both TurboTax and H&R Block at Home offer great solutions no matter the complexity of your tax returns. For basic filers with limited deductions, the free versions of these programs will be acceptable. But if you run a small business, have a lot of investments, or a lot of deductions, you will want to upgrade to a more comprehensive package.