Do-It-Yourself Tax Prep

Prepare your own taxes online with support from Prepare + Prosper’s Do-It-Yourself Tax Prep program.

Prepare your own taxes for free!

Filing on your own can be intimidating, but Prepare + Prosper will help you get ready and provide you with the resources you need to file confidently for free. This service is limited to people with incomes of $79,000 or less. (*If your income is over $79,000, please check our FAQ’s at the bottom of this page for another free-file option*)

Our Do-it-Yourself Tax Prep resources include: 

  • A link to create a free TaxSlayer account so you can prepare and electronically file your federal and state income taxes as well as the Minnesota property tax refund.
  • Our Do-It-Yourself Tax Prep Guide: a useful resource to help you navigate tax situations and the tax software.
  • Support via email and phone to get you over the finish line and file if you get stuck in your tax return! 
  • Registration link to sign up for optional virtual work sessions.

How do I get help?

If you have questions about the DIY Tax Prep service or your taxes, get in touch! Get the help you need by filling out the DIY Tax Prep Support form below (the form forwards your message to our DIY Tax Prep Support email address). We will reply within two business days. Please don’t send information containing your Social Security number, ITIN, account password, or other private information in this form or via email.

February through mid-April, we provide virtual work sessions. You can register and get live help from a volunteer on Zoom. Look for the registration link in your DIY Tax Prep Resources email.

You can email our support address directly at DIYtaxes@prepareandprosper.org or leave a voicemail at 651-262-2181.

FAQ

You’ll have access to TaxSlayer to file and print your return until mid-October 2024. After that point in time, TaxSlayer will disable access until late-January 2025 while they update the system for next year.

If you file(d) a return through the software, please, please save or print a copy of your return, as you won’t be able to get back into the software after early October!

No, DIY Tax Prep software supports only the current tax year. From late-January until mid-October, you can file a 2023 tax return.

This service is best for people who: 

  • Made $79,000 or less in 2023
  • Are comfortable using a computer 
  • Have easy access to email 
  • Feel comfortable reading and following written instructions 
  • Want to learn more about tax filing 

People with these situations won’t be able to use the free DIY Tax Prep option: 

  • Made over $79,000 in 2023 
  • Anyone filing returns prior to Tax Year 2023
  • Filing an amended return that was not originally prepared using the TaxSlayer DIY Tax Prep software 

People with these tax situations can do DIY Tax Prep, but it is important they understand their tax situation well: 

  • Self-employed customers 
  • Filing for education tax credits (college/university/post-secondary students) 
  • Topics that are out-of-scope for P+P (e.g. rental income, bankruptcy, or clergy income) 
  • Filing multiple state returns 
  • State returns other than Minnesota are out of P+P scope. You can file for other states via the software but support is limited for non-Minnesota returns, if you run into issues 
  • Form 1040-NR  
  • Need to amend their return (originally prepared using TaxSlayer DIY Tax Prep software) 

Yes! If you made over $79,000 in 2023, you cannot use this service. Because this is a strict income guideline built into the software, it is very important you verify your income is not over $79,000 before you start your return.

If you are unsure how to determine how much you made in 2023, reach out to us via phone at 651-262-2181 or email us at DIYtaxes@prepareandprosper.org for guidance.

Prepare + Prosper can’t help you directly, but we encourage you to go to  myfreetaxes.com. MyFreeTaxes provides free-file options for people who make over $79,000.

Fill out the contact form under Contact DIY Tax Prep Support, call 651-262-2181, or email us directly at DIYtaxes@prepareandprosper.org

You can also register and get live help from a volunteer on Zoom. Look for the registration link in your DIY Tax Prep Resources email.