ALBANY - At the Arbor Hill branch of the Albany Public Library Wednesday morning they were promoting the possibility of free online tax preparation and electronic filing.

"If I had these instructions in front of me at home, I would be able to do it by myself," said Michael McBride.

The Internal Revenue Service offers 15 different companies willing to help you prepare your federal taxes by computer for free provided you meet certain qualifications.

You have to have an adjusted gross income of less than $57,000.

Most of the private companies have additional conditions you must meet to use their programs for free. They'll be happy to sell you the service otherwise.

A major way these companies can afford to offer some free services is they charge for state returns.

Two Tech Valley High School students learned about architecture and the role math plays in it with EYP Architecture and Engineering.

Seth Miller of New Lebanon and Jesse Fawcett of Green Island worked with the Albany based firm. The students were able to work on Chase Hall, which is a project with the Coast Guard Academy.  They also visited a construction site at the College of Saint Rose.

"Everyone was impressed with their enthusiasm and desire to learn. They were really engaged and asked great questions. I was also impressed with their maturity," said EYP's Michelle Murray in a statement.

This was part of the school’s J-term which lets students research topics that interest them. During the term they visit with professionals and job shadow people in their field of interest.