Why this site exists

Most "best free tax software" roundups rank by affiliate payout and treat the free tier as a footnote. This site starts from the opposite direction: which provider is genuinely free for a specific filing situation, income, forms, and state, checked against each provider's current terms rather than reused from a prior year.

Update policy

• Provider pages are reviewed and republished every December ahead of filing season
• Mid-season changes to eligibility rules or pricing are corrected as they're found
• Every page shows the filing season it was last updated for

Who writes this

[Author bio placeholder — add a named author with real credentials or filing experience here. Anonymous authorship on financial-advice content is one of the clearer signals that hurts trust with both readers and search rankings.]