The Internal Revenue Service and a coalition of tax software companies will offer free, step-by-step online tax return preparation and filing, as well as a wide range of free online tax forms beginning Friday.

The free preparation help and filing is for people earning $58,000 or less, while the forms are free to all, with no income restrictions.

The IRS and the Free File Alliance estimate that 70 percent of American taxpayers are eligible for the services.

The program has saved taxpayers $1.2 billion since its inception in 2003, according to a statement by the coalition.

http://www.irs.gov/uac/Free-File%3A-Do-Your-Federal-Taxes-for-Free