Taxes can be confusing even if you have a single W-2 job, and things get more complicated when you’re a freelancer. Luckily, there are resources you can take advantage of to make sure you’re doing your taxes right or even have someone do them for you—all for the attractive price of free. Here are some of the ones available for freelancers who live in Minnesota.
Free Tax Preparation Sites
There are over two hundred sites around Minnesota that offer free tax preparation, and you might qualify. Requirements vary from site to site depending on what program(s) each participates in; some serve only those over a certain age or those who have disabilities or speak limited English, while others serve anyone under a given income limit. Use the search tool to see whether you can take advantage of one of the sites near you.
Prepare + Prosper
This nonprofit is one of the free tax preparation sites mentioned above: Prepare + Prosper’s IRS-certified volunteers will do your taxes for free if you make less than $55,000 a year as a family or self-employed individual or $35,000 as a non-self-employed single filer (though they’re doing things a little differently now than in past years because of the pandemic). But the organization also offers other resources, such as the Money Mentors program—which will pair you with someone to help you meet your financial goals—and occasional free workshops on tax topics.
SCORE Twin Cities
SCORE Twin Cities is, to use its own words, “part of the national nonprofit SCORE Association providing entrepreneurial education allowing start-up, growth, and success of the nation’s small business communities.” It offers business mentoring, helpful articles and other resources, and both live and on-demand workshops, webinars, and other educational events. Topics include taxes, accounting, business plans, and more, and it’s all free.
Freelancers Union
This nonprofit provides a variety of articles and outside resources for freelancers, including information on taxes. The Freelancers Union blog frequently covers timely topics, such as how the latest COVID-19 relief bill or your PPP loan will affect your taxes and what to know about the new Form 1099 being introduced for 2020.
IRS Self-Employed Individuals Tax Center
This is the Internal Revenue Service’s hub for self-employed tax filers. Find links to necessary forms, helpful publications, FAQs, important dates, and more. If you’re not sure whether you need to make quarterly tax payments or what the requirements are for deducting expenses related to your home office, you can get the answers straight from the source.
And remember: you can file your taxes online for free if you make less than a certain amount—even if TurboTax and other providers make the option difficult to find.