Start with the form
Move through a plain-English wizard that keeps the actual tax form workflow in view, so each answer connects back to the return you are preparing.
Real forms. Local files. Clear steps.
PaperTrail by EFileIt
A guided desktop tax-prep experience for people who want to work from actual forms, understand the numbers, and avoid the subscription pressure of TurboTax-style software.
Why PaperTrail
A tax-prep path built around the return, not the upsell.
Keep a local paper trail
Your working files stay on your computer. EFileIt saves your answers locally and lets you keep generated inputs, outputs, and records together.
See the calculation
Bundled OpenTaxSolver files produce inspectable form inputs and computed output, giving you more visibility than a black-box tax interview.
Paper-first alternative to TurboTax-style workflows
Actual form files
Local records
OpenTaxSolver powered
Download
Download EFileIt and prepare your 2025 return the PaperTrail way.
macOS Apple Silicon
Preview build for newer Macs with Apple silicon processors. Unzip, move to Applications, and open EFileIt.
Download for macOSWindows
For Windows PCs. Download the release artifact, unzip it, and run the EFileIt installer inside.
Download for WindowsLinux
For Linux desktops. Download the release artifact, unzip it, then make the AppImage executable and open it.
Download for LinuxmacOS preview build note
This early macOS download is not Apple Developer ID signed or notarized yet. If macOS says EFileIt is damaged after you move it to Applications, remove the download quarantine flag before opening it:
xattr -dr com.apple.quarantine /Applications/EFileIt.app
A fully signed and notarized macOS release will not need this step.
Install
Install once. Work through your return at your pace.
Download
Choose the installer for your operating system. The app includes the tax form templates and solver files needed for the guided PaperTrail workflow.
Open the package
On macOS, unzip the app and move EFileIt to Applications. On Windows, run the installer. On Linux, make the AppImage executable and open it.
Follow the wizard
Open EFileIt and begin with the Wizard tab. Your answers are saved locally as you go, so you can pause and come back.
Verify
A clean paper trail matters before you file.
Review the computed forms
EFileIt helps prepare and calculate forms, but you stay responsible for reviewing the final return against IRS and state instructions before filing.
Keep records
Save your completed input file, generated results, and a copy of the final filed return. PaperTrail is designed around tax work you can keep and inspect.
Open source notice
EFileIt bundles OpenTaxSolver, licensed GPLv2+. The license text is included with the app and available here.
Read GPLv2 license text