The how-to guide on filing your RI and federal taxes for free in 2024

Wheeler Cowperthwaite, Providence Journal
Updated ·8 min read

Tax filing season for the federal government and Rhode Island started on Jan. 29, which means a headache and often, shelling out cash to pay for a tax preparation program, or to a tax preparer. It ends either April 15 or July 15, depending on where you live.

The IRS extended the tax filing deadline, just for people in Providence, Kent and Washington counties, to July 15, because of the federally declared disasters from storms in September, December and January.

Rhode Island has extended the tax filing deadlines for everyone in the state to July 15.

For those who don't want to pay to file their taxes this year, there are two major ways to file for free:

The Free File program has some limitations, mainly in income and sometimes on age depending on the provider, but are often the same, or similar, versions of paid tax software.

In the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance, or VITA, program, an IRS-certified volunteer prepares both the federal and Rhode Island tax returns. Preparation is also done in languages other than English, including Spanish, Portuguese, Vietnamese, Arabic, French, Korean, Mandarin and Russian. More on that below.

We sat down with a volunteer income tax volunteer and a client as they went through the process. Read the feature story here.

Interested in what has changed for this tax season? Check out our full guide.

What's my adjusted gross income, or, how do I know if I qualify for the free file programs?

Depending on the provider, the IRS Free File tops out at an adjusted gross income of $79,000 a year. The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program is available to those with an income of $63,398 or less in 2023.

The IRS defines adjusted gross income as wages, dividends, capital gains and business and other income, but minus things like contributions to pre-tax retirement plans, like 401(k)s, 403(b)s and Individual Retirement Accounts, known as IRAs.

Other deductions to income include half of self-employment taxes, self-employed health insurance premiums and educator expenses.

1099-R,1099-K, W-4, W-2, W-9, 1040? What are these forms when filing your taxes?

To find your adjusted gross income from last year, on last year's tax return, look at line 11 on either forms 1040, 1040-SR or 1040-NR.

For example, a person who made $108,000 in 2023 and contributed the maximum amounts possible to both their 401(k) ($22,500) and an Individual Retirement Account ($6,500) would be at the adjusted gross income limit of $79,000 for free filing in 2023.

Filing your taxes for free via IRS Free File

For most people, the easiest way to file federal and state tax returns for free is to use one of the programs offered by the "Free File Alliance," an agreement that started in 2002 between the IRS and a group of for-profit tax preparation companies.

While most of the programs offer free federal tax returns, only six also offer free Rhode Island returns and many limit based on age and income. Each option is also broken out for those who work in Massachusetts, Vermont or Connecticut but live in Rhode Island.

IRS Free File: Browse all the free tax filing options offered through the IRS Free File program

Programs that do not offer a free tax preparation for Rhode Island, in additional to a federal return, have been excluded.

Each service and is restrictions and benefits is detailed below. Four services have no age restrictions, but only one, 1040.com, goes to the $79,000 income limit without restricting by age. Here, we break down where each service excels.

All of the programs listed below allow for filers to claim the earned income tax credit.

Compare the six programs available with Rhode Island tax returns

Tax Act

  • Provider: Tax Act

  • Adjusted gross income: $79,000 or less

  • Age range: 20 to 58

  • Earned income tax credit: Yes

  • Massachusetts return: No

  • Connecticut return: No

  • Vermont return: Yes

TaxSlayer

  • Provider: TaxSlayer

  • Adjusted gross income: $44,000 or less

  • Age range: No restriction

  • Earned income tax credit: Yes

  • Massachusetts return: Yes

  • Connecticut return: No

  • Vermont return: Yes

FreeTaxUSA

  • Provider: FreeTaxUSA

  • Adjusted gross income: $45,000 or less

  • Age range: No restriction

  • Earned income tax credit: Yes

  • Massachusetts return: Yes

  • Connecticut return: Yes

  • Vermont return: Yes

1040.com

  • Provider: 1040.com

  • Adjusted gross income: $17,000 to $79,000

  • Age range: No restriction

  • Earned income tax credit: Yes

  • Massachusetts return: Yes

  • Connecticut return: No

  • Vermont return: Yes

OnLine Taxes (OLT)

  • Provider: OnLine Taxes (OLT)

  • Adjusted gross income: $45,000 or less

  • Age range: No restriction

  • Earned income tax credit: Yes

  • Massachusetts return: Yes

  • Connecticut return: Yes

  • Vermont return: Yes

FileYourTaxes.com

  • Provider: FileYourTaxes.com

  • Adjusted gross income: $8,5000 to $79,000

  • Age range: 64 and younger

  • Earned income tax credit: Yes

  • Massachusetts return: No

  • Connecticut return: No

  • Vermont return: No

What is the Free File Alliance?

The Free File Alliance is an agreement that started in 2002 between the IRS and a group of for-profit tax preparation companies. Until 2019, the IRS agreed to not create a government-run system for people to easily prepare their taxes, and in exchange, the companies promised to provide free online filing to low- and middle-class taxpayers.

When the IRS signed the latest Free File Alliance agreement in 2019, it dropped its commitment to not create a competing tax filing system, as ProPublica reported.

The IRS is running a pilot program to offer a competing tax filing system in 13 states, including Massachusetts and New Hampshire, called "Direct File."

Free in-person tax assistance, VITA, available to people at or below $63,398

The United Way of Rhode Island spearheads the IRS's volunteer tax preparer program, VITA, each year, where IRS-trained volunteers prepare taxes for free, including in languages other than English, including Spanish, Portuguese, Vietnamese, Arabic, French, Korean, Mandarin and Russian.

Volunteers do free tax prep with VITA: Want to get your taxes done for free? These Rhode Islanders are here to help.

Singles and families with an income at or below $63,398 are eligible for a volunteer to work with them to file their tax returns. The volunteers are trained and certified by the IRS and can also process returns with earned income tax credit (EITC) and child tax credits.

People can also call 211 to receive information about their nearest volunteer tax preparation location.

Currently, there are 24 sites in the state. All but one site requires appointments be made in advance. Phone numbers are listed below for the sites.

One walk-in site is at the Westerly Education Center.

See where are the state's Volunteer Income Tax Assistance locations

Bristol

  • Bristol EBCAP/Benjamin Church, (401) 435-7876 x1137

Central Falls

Cranston

  • Comprehensive Community Action, (401) 467-7013

East Providence

  • East Bay/East Providence Senior Center, (401) 435-7876 x1137

Johnston/North Providence

  • Tri-County Community Action Agency, (401) 519-1915

Pawtucket

  • BVCAP Woodlawn Community Center, (401) 475-5051

Providence

  • Amos House, (401) 272-0220

  • Capitol City Community Center/Lillian Feinstein Senior Center, (401) 207-0223

  • CAPP Hartford Ave., (401) 273-2000

  • Center for Southeast Asians, (401) 274-8811

  • Federal Hill House, (401) 421-4722

  • Indigenous Empowerment VITA, (401) 255-6238

  • OpenDoors, (401) 214-1807

  • Providence Spanish SDA Church, (401) 270-9996

  • The Genesis Center, (401) 781-6110 x13

  • Mount Hope Community Center, (401) 521-8830 x 102

  • Johnson and Wales University, (401) 568-4789

Wakefield

  • Tri-County Community Action South, (401) 515-2490

  • JonnyCake Center of Peace Dale, (401) 789-1559 x10

Warwick

  • Westbay Community Action, Inc., (401) 384-7779

Westerly

  • WARM - Westerly Area Rest and Meals, (401) 596-9276 x113

  • Westerly Education Center, walk-in site

Woonsocket

  • Community Care Alliance, (401) 235-7187

  • Connecting for Children and Families, (401) 766-3384

What to bring to a Volunteer Income Tax Assistance appointment

  • Valid picture ID

  • All received tax forms (W-2, 1099, 1095-A)

  • Last year's federal tax return

  • Tax identification numbers for dependents (Social Security number)

  • Tax identification numbers for child care providers, if claiming a child tax credit

  • Proof of health insurance

Getting the earned income tax credit

For the earned income tax credit, the income thresholds range from $17,640 for a single person to $63,398 for a married couple, filing jointly, with three or more qualifying children.

The tax credit is for working people with low incomes to get a small boost to their income at tax time.

During the 2020 tax year, the average earned income tax credit was $3,099 for a family with children, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.

The tax credit is "refundable," so if the credit exceeds the amount paid in taxes, someone will receive the difference in a check.

Currently, the tax credits range from $3,733 for a married couple with one child to $6,953 for a couple with three or more children.

Rhode Island offers its own earned income tax credit, 16% of the federal tax amount, according to the Economic Progress Institute.

Income limits for the earned income tax credit

Single or head of household earning less than:

  • $17,640 – no qualifying children

  • $46,560 – one qualifying child

  • $52,918 – two qualifying children

  • $56,838– three or more qualifying children

Married, filing jointly, earning less than:

  • $24,210 – no qualifying children

  • $53,120 – one qualifying child

  • $59,478 – two qualifying children

  • $63,398 – three or more qualifying children

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Reach reporter Wheeler Cowperthwaite at wcowperthwaite@providencejournal.com or follow him on Twitter @WheelerReporter.

This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: RI and Federal Taxes: What you should know to file for free in 2024