WASHINGTON, DC (March 8, 2007) Tax season is coming to a close on April 17, 2007, which means there are only forty days left to take advantage of the Free File Program. The Free File Alliance today urged every American with an income of $52,000 or less to use the Free File tax preparation services available at www.irs.gov.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:

Tim Hugo
703.569.1201
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Patrick Dorton
202.429.4952
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WASHINGTON, DC (March 8, 2007) Tax season is coming to a close on April 17, 2007, which means there are only forty days left to take advantage of the Free File Program. The Free File Alliance today urged every American with an income of $52,000 or less to use the Free File tax preparation services available at www.irs.gov.

"Taxpayers only have forty days left to file their taxes before the April 17th deadline," said Tim Hugo, the Executive Director of the Free File Alliance. "We urge every American to utilize the Free File services at IRS.gov to prepare and file their taxes online."

The Free File Alliance (www.freefilealliance.org) is a voluntary coalition of private sector tax software preparation companies that have a landmark public-private partnership with the Internal Revenue Service to provide free tax preparation services to millions of Americans. The 2007 tax season marks the fifth year of operation for the Free File Alliance.

Through the Free File Alliance, the tax software industry will make free services available to 70% of American taxpayers in 2007, including all 95 million taxpayers with an AGI of $52,000 or less. Taxpayers who would like to take advantage of the program can find the Free File program on the Internal Revenue Service website, www.irs.gov or may go to www.freefilealliance.org. On IRS.gov, taxpayers can find the offers made by industry participants and choose the offer that fits their needs. The taxpayer is then transferred to the company's website to prepare and electronic file their taxes.

"The Free File Alliance takes very seriously our commitment to providing free tax preparation services to millions of American taxpayers, particularly those with low and moderate incomes," said Hugo. "Part of that commitment is our pledge to incorporate the latest and best consumer protections into the Free File taxpayer services. We worked closely with the IRS this year to make the Free File program services as simple, easy to use, and consumer-friendly as possible for the American taxpayer."

The Free File Alliance companies have worked with the IRS every year to improve the program. Changes made this year include the separation of refund anticipations loans (RALs) and other commercial products from the Free File program.

"This unique partnership between government and private sector companies provides very real and significant benefits to poor and disadvantaged taxpayers," said the Alliance's lawyer Stephen Ryan or McDermott, Will and Emery. "It also keeps government out of tax preparation, protects taxpayer privacy and promotes private sector innovation and competition."

Earlier this year, taxpayers responding to an IRS survey reported an overwhelming level of satisfaction with the program. According to the survey, 94 percent said they intend to use Free File again next year, 94 percent said they found Free File very easy or somewhat easy to use and 97 percent said they would recommend Free File to others. Convenience, not the free cost, was the most appealing factor of Free File.