Simple tips to save on filing your taxes

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- Tax Season has officially opened and, while filing your taxes may not be your idea of fun, there is no way to avoid it. But, there is a way to avoid paying too much to file.

"It always pays to do your homework," explained Matt Kirkwood with Ultimatecoupons.com.

Kirkwood said January is considered early in the tax season, and even though you can find discounts and deals now, the best are traditionally offered in February.

"As we get into peak tax season -- around Valentine's Day into March -- you'll start to see better discounts for $20 off 20 percent off, said Kirkwood. "And, for the smaller providers like FreetaxUSA.com, you'll even see upwards of 70 percent off."

Kirkwood said knowing the when peak discounts will be can help you get the most bang for your buck, and Ultimatecoupons.com is keeping tabs on the offers and codes.

"We have a team of human editors that test the codes and deals and keep our pages curated," he said.

Another free resource that shouldn't be overlooked is the irs.gov website-which points out, 70 percent of Americans can do their federal taxes for free.

Under the free file tab, there is free software for federal taxes for anyone with income under $60,000. For those with income over $60,000, there's also a free fillable form.

For the military, Turbo Tax has a new offer this year offering active duty military and reservists the software for free or a discounted rate depending on your taxes.

And, for an added bonus, Kirkwood said keep a lookout for savings on other items with a bit of a tax spin this time of year referencing things such as the 1040EZ form.

"You'll start to see retailers putting out these funny little discounts on coffee, or at places like GNC, and Travelocity for $10 off of $40 or 10.4 percent off your purchase," he said.