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Free tax help from IRS-certified volunteers. | GetYourRefund
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Free tax help from IRS-certified volunteers. | GetYourRefund

Phone number
None.
Category
Legal
Money
Auto tags
low income
legal
money
Eligibility
Household income under ~$69,000 for help filing, under ~$89,000 to file yourself with support. All 50 states. English and Spanish.
Auto Summary
GetYourRefund is a free online tax-filing service from Code for America and IRS-certified VITA volunteers. File-with-Help: income under ~$69,000. File-Myself: income under ~$89,000. Federal + state, Spanish supported, helps you claim refundable credits like EITC, CTC, and CalEITC. The on-time deadline for 2025 returns was April 15, 2026, but the service stays open year-round for extensions, back-year returns, and multi-year filing — file even if you're late, since many low-income households only get money back by filing. Real URL is getyourrefund.org (watch for fake look-alikes). Verified 2026-05-30.
Value
$89,000
Espanol
Obtenga ayuda gratuita para impuestos de voluntarios certificados por el IRS. | GetYourRefund
URL
https://www.getyourrefund.org/en
Last verified 2026-05-17 — Program active for the 2026 filing season.
GetYourRefund is a free online tax-filing service run by Code for America in partnership with IRS-certified VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance) sites across the country. It is supported by the IRS. Use it to file federal and state returns and claim refunds and credits like the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), Child Tax Credit (CTC), and the California Earned Income Tax Credit (CalEITC) — without paying a preparer. [Source: getyourrefund.org/en (accessed 2026-05-17)]

Who qualifies

  • File with Help (an IRS-certified volunteer prepares your return): household income under about $69,000.
  • File Myself (you file on your own with chat/email support): household income under about $89,000.
  • In-person VITA at a local site: typically under about $69,000, or if you have a disability or limited English. Site rules vary slightly.
  • Available in all 50 states. Limited availability for Puerto Rico residents and non-residents. Spanish is supported throughout. [Source: getyourrefund.org/en (accessed 2026-05-17)]

What you get

  • Free federal and state filing — no fees, no upsells.
  • Help claiming credits you may be owed: federal EITC, CTC, CalEITC, the Young Child Tax Credit, and stimulus / Recovery Rebate amounts from past years if you missed them.
  • ITIN application help (for filers without a Social Security number).
  • Multi-year filing: you can file back returns, not just the current year.

How to apply

  1. Go to getyourrefund.org (or getyourrefund.org/es for Spanish).
  1. Answer a few short questions so the site routes you to the right service.
  1. Upload your tax documents — W-2s, 1099s, 1095-A (health insurance from Covered California), Social Security or ITIN numbers for everyone on the return, and last year's return if you have it.
  1. An IRS-certified preparer reviews your return, asks any follow-up questions in the secure portal, and walks you through signing and submitting.
Key dates for filing 2025 taxes in 2026:
  • File by April 15, 2026 to avoid late penalties.
  • Start with GetYourRefund by October 1, 2026 if you want them to file for you this year.
  • In-progress returns must be submitted by October 8, 2026. [Source: getyourrefund.org/en (accessed 2026-05-17)]

Common pitfalls

  • Don't pay for "free" filing. Big-name tax software often steers low-income filers into paid tiers. GetYourRefund and VITA stay free start to finish.
  • Bring everything the first time. Missing a 1095-A or a 1099 is the #1 reason returns get delayed.
  • File even if you don't owe. Many low-income households get money back only by filing — the EITC and CTC are refundable.
  • Watch out for fake "tax help" sites. The real URL is getyourrefund.org. Don't click ads claiming to be VITA.
  • ITIN renewals take time. If your ITIN expired, start early — renewals can add weeks.

Where to get help in person

  • In Nevada County, CA: 211 Connecting Point can route you to the closest free tax site.
  • See also TechEmpower's resources on AARP Tax-Aide and CalEITC.

Sources

  • Code for America press release, "Code for America Opens GetYourRefund for 2026 Tax Filing Season" — codeforamerica.org (accessed 2026-05-17)
Freshness update (2026-05-30): The on-time deadline for 2025 returns (April 15, 2026) has now passed, but GetYourRefund is still useful. You can still file a late 2025 return, file prior-year (back) returns, or finish a return you started. If you're owed a refund there's generally no penalty for filing late, and refundable credits like EITC, CTC, and CalEITC mean many low-income households only get that money by filing — so don't skip it. To have a volunteer file for you in 2026, get started by October 1, 2026 (in-progress returns must be submitted by October 8, 2026). Income limits are unchanged (~\$69k File-with-Help, ~\$89k File-Myself).