IRS has launched its free tax filing service, Direct File, in 12 states
Enlarge / Internal Revenue Service (IRS) headquarters building on January 30, 2024, in Washington, DC. (credit: Getty Images | J. David Ake )
The Internal Revenue Service's free tax filing service, Direct File, is now available in 12 states for taxpayers with simple tax returns. The service, available in English and Spanish, underwent "weeks of successful testing" before the launch, the US Treasury Department said today.
"Direct File provides a free, secure option for taxpayers with simple tax situations in 12 states to file their taxes directly with the IRS," the Treasury Department said. "Direct File is easy to use, with no hidden junk fees, and works as well on a smartphone as it does on a laptop, tablet, or desktop computer. Direct File shows taxpayers the math so they can be sure that their return is accurate, and they are getting the refund they are entitled to."
You can check whether you qualify to use the system at directfile.irs.gov. Based on the eligibility restrictions in the IRS program, the Treasury Department said it "estimates that one-third of all federal income tax returns filed could be prepared using Direct File."