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IRS Direct File Won't Be Available Next Year. Here's What that Means for Taxpayers
The IRS pilot program was used by nearly 300,000 people but ended over political opposition and a shift toward exploring alternative free tax filing options.
- On November 4, 2025 the IRS emailed state comptrollers saying IRS Direct File will not be available in Filing Season 2026 and no launch date has been set; the Direct File site is currently closed.
- Legislation signed this summer by President Donald Trump directed research into replacements, with staff told to stop development for 2026, amid political pressure from Trump administration and Republican lawmakers.
- About 296,531 taxpayers used Direct File in 2025, and user surveys show that 86% reported increased trust in government.
- Taxpayers who used IRS Direct File will lose platform access and likely need paid tax-preparation software next year, though Oregon Department of Revenue will serve nearly 14,000 Oregon taxpayers with its state option.
- The IRS made Direct File's code public on GitHub, the Inflation Reduction Act funded the pilot, and cost estimates of $10-20 per return influence state governments' adoption decisions.
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The U.S. Department of the Treasury announced the end of the deeply-controversial Biden-era IRS Direct File program that has long been under fire from both Republicans and from good government organizations.This move is both great policy and great politics for the Trump administration. For over a year, our sources on and off the Hill have blasted Direct File as an unconstitutional power grab by a power-hungry Biden administration, and the admini…
Associated Press News+54 Reposted by 54 other sources
IRS Direct File won't be available next year. Here's what that means for taxpayers
The Trump administration has decided not to offer the IRS' electronic tax filing system for free next year, and its future is unclear.
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Coverage Details
Total News Sources66
Leaning Left10Leaning Right7Center44Last UpdatedBias Distribution72% Center
Bias Distribution
- 72% of the sources are Center
72% Center
L 16%
C 72%
12%
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