If you earn less than $57,000 annually, many major tax program companies will provide services for free. You can view a list of them here. Even if you don't qualify for the program you want, everyone is eligible to use the IRS' online forms, which cuts down on paperwork, if not costs.
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2. Rewards may be taxable
Did you get any rewards this year? You may have gotten them and not be aware that they might be counted as income and therefore could be taxed. An obvious example: When Oprah Winfrey gave her entire studio audience cars back in 2004, the lucky individuals had to pay taxes of up to $7,000 since the value of the vehicles was counted as income. The same principle applies to rewards you may have gotten, say, from your credit card companies-frequent flier miles, for example-though you're in the clear with bonuses that are specifically tied to purchases. It's good to keep track of these over the year to avoid surprises.
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3. File even if you can't pay
While both failure-to-file and failure-to-pay penalties exist, the first is generally worse than the second.
Don't panic if you can't pay what you owe to the IRS. You'll have to fill out some forms and provide documentation, but you can compromise with the IRS on a lower amount if you meet certain requirements.
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