With the tax deadline looming, procrastinators can use free online tools to seamlessly file their tax returns.

Direct File: This online tax filing tool offers taxpayers the option to file their federal and state tax returns at no cost directly with the IRS and Department of Revenue.

Direct File is being offered this year in Pennsylvania for the first time.

The IRS offers an eligibility checker at directfile.irs.gov that will walk you through the steps to see if you’re eligible.

Direct File is currently designed for Pennsylvanians with common tax situations. For example, it supports these types of income:

• Income from an employer (Form W-2)

• Social Security benefits (Form SSA-1099)

• Unemployment compensation (Form 1099-G)

• Interest income (1099-INT)

• Distributions for qualified medical expenses from Health Savings Accounts (Form 1099-SA)

Visit pa.gov/directfile for further information. You can also help spread the word on Direct File by visiting the Direct File Toolkit on the Department of Revenue website.

Taxpayer Service and Assistance: The Department of Revenue offers assistance on state personal income tax questions through the Department’s Online Customer Service Center. The Online Customer Service Center contains answers to hundreds of common income tax questions and allows taxpayers to securely submit a question to the Department through a process that is similar to sending an email. Taxpayers may also call 717-787-8201 between 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, for state personal income tax assistance.

In-person assistance is available at Department of Revenue district offices. Assistance at district offices is available from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Taxpayers are encouraged to call ahead to make an appointment. They are also encouraged to bring their Social Security cards and photo identification with them to facilitate tax filing.

Taxpayers can check the status of their refunds online by visiting Where’s My Income Tax Refund? or by calling 1-888-PATAXES. Taxpayers will be prompted to provide their Social Security number and requested refund amount to obtain the current status.

Free tax forms and instructions are available at www.revenue.pa.gov.

Electronic Filing for Free: Other free electronic filing options are available to file state and federal returns using software from vendors. More vendor information is available on the Department of Revenue’s website.

Electronic Filing for a Fee: Paid tax preparers and commercial tax preparation software providers offer electronic filing, or e-filing, for a fee. Check a list of vendors on the Department’s website for further information.

All taxpayers who received more than $33 in total gross taxable income in calendar year 2024 must file a Pennsylvania personal income tax return by midnight Tuesday.