IRS Direct File gone
IRS Direct File has been shut down, so taxpayers who previously planned to use the government-run free filing option must choose alternatives like Cash App Taxes or IRS Free File partners. (komonews.com) The change matters now because the April 15 deadline is days away and filers shouldn’t expect Direct File to be available. (komonews.com)
The Internal Revenue Service is not offering Direct File this tax season, and taxpayers who used the government-run site last year have to pick another filing option before April 15. (irs.gov) The Internal Revenue Service’s 2026 filing season opened on January 26, 2026, for tax year 2025 returns, and the agency says about 164 million individual returns are due by Wednesday, April 15, 2026. Its filing pages now point taxpayers to Internal Revenue Service Free File, in-person help, and paper forms — not Direct File. (irs.gov) On March 20, 2026, the Internal Revenue Service said taxpayers who still need to file can use Internal Revenue Service Free File, Volunteer Income Tax Assistance, Tax Counseling for the Elderly, MilTax, and other tools on Internal Revenue Service.gov. Direct File was not included in that list. (irs.gov) Internal Revenue Service Free File is a partnership with private tax software companies, not a government-built filing system. Taxpayers with adjusted gross income of $89,000 or less can use guided software for free, and taxpayers above that threshold can use Free File Fillable Forms. (irs.gov) The Internal Revenue Service said on January 9, 2026, that eight companies were participating in Free File for this season: 1040Now, Drake at 1040.com, ezTaxReturn.com, FileYourTaxes.com, On-Line Taxes, TaxAct, TaxHawk at FreeTaxUSA, and TaxSlayer. Some partners also offer free state returns, but each company sets its own age, income, residency, and military rules. (irs.gov) Direct File had been a different model. The Internal Revenue Service’s own 2024 media guide said the agency made Direct File a permanent option after a 12-state pilot in 2024, then expanded it to 24 states for the 2025 filing season after more than 140,000 taxpayers used the pilot. (irs.gov) By November 2025, that plan had been reversed. Federal News Network reported that the Internal Revenue Service emailed 25 partner states that “Direct File will not be available in Filing Season 2026” and that “no launch date has been set for the future.” (federalnewsnetwork.com) That email also told states that former Direct File users would not be able to log back into the platform to retrieve old returns. Instead, they could see a summary in an Internal Revenue Service online account or request a full copy by mail. (federalnewsnetwork.com) For anyone still filing this week, the practical deadline has not changed: file and pay by April 15, 2026, or request an extension to file by October 15, while still paying any tax due in April to avoid penalties and interest. Direct File is gone for now, but free filing options remain open on the Internal Revenue Service site. (irs.gov)
