Free File opens for early birds

Free File, a tax-filing program, opened today for taxpayers wanting to get an early start on filing season.

The controversial program, in its fifth year, is a free tax preparation and electronic filing initiative between the Internal Revenue Service and the Free File Alliance, which is composed of 20 private-sector tax preparation companies.

Congress and the IRS’ inspector general have criticized the program for excluding taxpayers who once used the program by setting stricter income requirements. Those requirements caused a double-digit percentage drop in usage in 2006.

But the IRS and the alliance have made Free File more consumer-friendly this year, according to the IRS.

Read rest of the story: FCW.com News - Free File opens for early birds