You can file your Minnesota state tax return for free in one of two ways: use a Department of Revenue certified free filing software product, or have an IRS-trained volunteer prepare your return at a VITA or TCE site. Both routes handle your federal and state returns together, and both are open to Minnesota residents who meet the eligibility rules for the specific product or program. The 2025 return is due April 15, 2026.
Free Filing Software Certified by the Department of Revenue
The Minnesota Department of Revenue publishes a list of free file software products that eligible taxpayers can use to prepare and e-file their federal and state returns at no cost. Each product sets its own income and eligibility rules, so the cutoffs vary from one option to the next; you pick the one you qualify for and that fits your return.1Minnesota Department of Revenue. Free Electronic Filing
One important rule: use a single software product for both your federal and state returns. Submitting your federal return through one product locks you out of e-filing the state return through another.1Minnesota Department of Revenue. Free Electronic Filing Start on the Department’s free electronic filing page rather than going directly to a tax software company’s site, because entering through other doors can push you into a paid version of the same product.
If your return is straightforward (wages, standard deduction, a credit or two), software is the fastest path. Most people finish in under an hour once their documents are in front of them.
VITA and TCE: Free In-Person Help
Two federally supported programs operate at sites across Minnesota during tax season and prepare returns at no charge.
- VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance) serves taxpayers who generally earn $69,000 or less, people with disabilities, and those with limited English proficiency.2Internal Revenue Service. Free Tax Return Preparation for Qualifying Taxpayers
- TCE (Tax Counseling for the Elderly) focuses on taxpayers age 60 and older, with volunteers trained on retirement income questions like pensions and Social Security.2Internal Revenue Service. Free Tax Return Preparation for Qualifying Taxpayers
An in-person appointment makes sense if you have pension distributions, aren’t sure which credits apply to you, or just want someone to confirm the numbers before you sign.
What to Have Ready Before You File
Minnesota’s Form M1 starts from your federal taxable income, so your federal return (or its data) is the foundation of your state return. Gather these items before you open the software or walk into a VITA site:
- Social Security or ITIN numbers for yourself, your spouse, and any dependents
- W-2s from every employer you had during 2025
- 1099 forms for freelance income, interest, dividends, retirement distributions, and other non-wage earnings
- Your completed federal return, or the information from it
- Certificate of Rent Paid (CRP) from your landlord if you rented in 2025
- Your property tax statement if you own your home and plan to file for the Property Tax Refund
Missing a single 1099 is the most common reason returns get flagged for review later, so take a few minutes to confirm you have everything from every account and employer.
Deadlines You Need to Know
Your 2025 Minnesota income tax return is due April 15, 2026. If you owe tax, that payment is due the same day, whether or not your return is finished.3Minnesota Department of Revenue. Income Tax Due Dates
Minnesota grants every taxpayer an automatic filing extension to October 15, 2026. No form, no request. The extension only covers filing, though. It does not extend the payment deadline, and penalties and interest start running on any unpaid balance after April 15.4Minnesota Department of Revenue. Filing After the Due Date
One deadline sits apart from the rest. The Property Tax Refund (Form M1PR) for 2025 is due August 17, 2026, with a final claim deadline of August 16, 2027.5Minnesota Department of Revenue. 2025 Property Tax Refund Return M1PR Instructions Homeowners file this one separately from the income tax return.6Minnesota Department of Revenue. Filing for a Property Tax Refund
Minnesota Credits to Claim
Free filing software and VITA volunteers will walk you through these, but knowing what exists helps you bring the right documents.
Child Tax Credit
Minnesota’s Child Tax Credit is worth up to $1,750 per qualifying child under age 18, with no cap on the number of children. It phases out above $37,910 for married couples filing jointly and $31,950 for other filers.7Minnesota Department of Revenue. Minnesota Child Tax Credit If you elected advance payments of your 2025 credit on your 2024 return, you must file a 2025 return no matter what your income is.8Minnesota Department of Revenue. Who Must File an Income Tax Return
Working Family Credit
This is Minnesota’s version of the federal Earned Income Tax Credit. The maximum depends on how many qualifying children you have, starting at $379 for taxpayers with none and increasing with family size. The phase-out thresholds match the Child Tax Credit: $37,910 for married joint filers and $31,950 for everyone else.9Minnesota Department of Revenue. Minnesota Working Family Credit
Renter’s Credit
Beginning with the 2024 tax year, renters claim this credit on Form M1 itself rather than on a separate M1PR. You’ll need your CRP from the landlord. E-filing software handles the calculation; if you file on paper, include Schedule M1RENT with copies of every CRP you received.10Minnesota Department of Revenue. Renter’s Credit
Homestead Property Tax Refund
Homeowners file this one on Form M1PR using the property tax statement from the county. It’s separate from your income tax return, and the deadline for the 2025 refund is August 17, 2026.6Minnesota Department of Revenue. Filing for a Property Tax Refund
If You Owe but Can’t Pay by April 15
Pay what you can by April 15 to shrink the balance that interest and penalties attach to, and then set up a payment agreement for the rest. Once the Department sends you a bill, you can request an installment plan online through the Payment Plan Agreement System. To set one up before a bill arrives, contact the Department by phone, email, or letter.11Minnesota Department of Revenue. Payment Agreements
Monthly payments are set using the same guidelines the IRS uses, and you may be asked for a personal financial statement showing income, expenses, and assets. Interest keeps running on the unpaid balance even after the plan is in place.11Minnesota Department of Revenue. Payment Agreements
What Happens If You File or Pay Late
Minnesota can assess three penalties, and they stack:
- Late payment penalty: 4% of unpaid tax if you don’t pay by April 15, 2026
- Late filing penalty: a flat 5% of unpaid tax if you file after October 15, 2026
- Extended delinquency penalty: another 5% if the tax is still unpaid 180 days after you file
Interest also accrues at 7% per year on any unpaid balance after April 15, 2026.12Minnesota Department of Revenue. Calculating Penalty and Interest
There is a safe harbor worth knowing. If you pay at least 90% of your total tax by April 15 and then file and pay the rest by October 15, the 4% late payment penalty doesn’t apply.12Minnesota Department of Revenue. Calculating Penalty and Interest That matters if you’re waiting on a last document but can estimate your liability closely enough to send in most of what you owe on time.