With IRS Direct File, Many Taxpayers Can File Taxes Online for Free

The federal government has many critical responsibilities – protecting the planet; keeping our roads, skies, and food safe; and ensuring that Americans get the benefits they paid into for decades. The money to pay for all those things – and many more essential parts of American life – is collected by the IRS.

But the tax collection process should be easier, less stressful, and free.

This tax filing season, the IRS is piloting an innovative system called Direct File, where taxpayers in 12 states can file their taxes online, directly with the IRS, for free.

Direct File is a key part of the IRS transformation under the Inflation Reduction Act, where we are working to meet taxpayers where they are. More than 50,000 people have already used Direct File and described it as straightforward and easy to use. Many taxpayers report filing in around 30 minutes, and one even called it “fun.” Direct Filers who have questions about their tax return can live chat, directly with IRS customer support agents.

In this pilot year, Direct File is limited to taxpayers with simple tax situations, so it’s perfect for many retirees, seniors who remain in the workforce, students, and veterans recently separated from the military. The system supports taxpayers with wage income reported on a W2, Social Security income, unemployment, interest of $1,500 or less, and who claim the standard deduction and certain other credits. Taxpayers using Direct File who select direct deposit can get their refund in as little as two to three weeks.

Tax filing is an annual civic ritual, but for many taxpayers – particularly those with disabilities – it can be a stressful, burdensome task. In building Direct File, we prioritized accessibility and inclusive design from day one. Anyone who wishes to prepare their taxes with Direct File should be able to do so. The system’s visual design is intentionally straightforward and presents each question on a single screen, so users can focus on one task at a time. We worked hard to make complex tax topics easier to understand, and targeted accessibility standards above and beyond those required by law. Even after we completed testing and officially launched Direct File on March 12, we have continued conducting usability testing with people with disabilities, including those who use assistive technology, to ensure it is both accessible and easy to use for everyone.

This filing season, be on the lookout for more service improvements, like an expanded Where’s My Refund? tool and a call back option on our main 1-800 number. And if you have not filed your taxes yet (and we encourage you to do so soon), please visit directfile.irs.gov to see if you’re eligible for this innovative new service. We will continue to improve our efforts to serve you this tax filing season and in the future.

If you have misplaced your SSA-1099, you can get a replacement instantly with your personal my Social Security account.

Important Note: Please do not call or visit the Social Security Administration (SSA) if you have questions about Direct File or other tax matters. Direct File is a service of the IRS. If you have questions, please visit the IRS’ Direct File website at directfile.irs.gov where you can text chat live with an IRS employee in English or Spanish.