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In a win for the paid tax prep industry, it looks like the government’s free tax filing program, Direct File, is dead for now.
The IRS emailed state tax agencies to notify them that “IRS Direct File will not be available in Filing Season 2026,” according to NextGov/FCW, and “no launch date has been set for the future.”
The email isn’t a total surprise. In July, then-IRS Commissioner Bill Long—who Trump later fired—also indicated that the Direct File program had been scuttled. “You’ve heard of Direct File, that’s gone,” Long said at the National Association of Enrolled Agents Tax Summit. “Big beautiful Billy wiped that out. I don’t care about Direct File. I care about direct audit.”
Long was referring to Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill, which allocated $15 million for a Treasury Department task force that would investigate a Direct File replacement, including potential public-private partnerships. That was due 90 days after the bill’s July 4 enactment, or Oct. 2.
The Direct File program was well-received among users, according to the IRS. Last year, over 140,000 people used it in a pilot program that covered 12 US states, saving them an estimated $5.6 million in tax preparation fees.
This year, the Direct File program expanded to 25 US states, with over 296,000 people submitting a tax return through the service, according to NextGov. But now it looks like consumers will need to use paid tax software for next year’s tax season, although some free options still exist.
The IRS didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
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Oregon’s Department of Revenue confirmed it received the IRS email but would “continue to offer Direct File Oregon as a free electronic filing option for state income tax returns in 2026.”
“Nearly 14,000 Oregon taxpayers filed their state returns with Direct File Oregon this year including 4,700 filers who connected to Direct File Oregon after first filing their federal returns through IRS Direct File,” the department added. “Direct File Oregon can be used in combination with commercial software, a variety of income-based free software programs, and Free Fillable Forms, which is available to every taxpayer regardless of their income level.”
Back in March, the Department of Government Efficiency under Elon Musk axed a technology unit that helped develop the IRS Direct File program.
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About Our Expert
Michael Kan
Senior Reporter
Experience
I’ve been a journalist for over 15 years. I got my start as a schools and cities reporter in Kansas City and joined PCMag in 2017, where I cover satellite internet services, cybersecurity, PC hardware, and more. I’m currently based in San Francisco, but previously spent over five years in China, covering the country’s technology sector.
Since 2020, I’ve covered the launch and explosive growth of SpaceX’s Starlink satellite internet service, writing 600+ stories on availability and feature launches, but also the regulatory battles over the expansion of satellite constellations, fights with rival providers like AST SpaceMobile and Amazon, and the effort to expand into satellite-based mobile service. I’ve combed through FCC filings for the latest news and driven to remote corners of California to test Starlink’s cellular service.
I also cover cyber threats, from ransomware gangs to the emergence of AI-based malware. Earlier this year, the FTC forced Avast to pay consumers $16.5 million for secretly harvesting and selling their personal information to third-party clients, as revealed in my joint investigation with Motherboard.
I also cover the PC graphics card market. Pandemic-era shortages led me to camp out in front of a Best Buy to get an RTX 3000. I’m now following how President Trump’s tariffs will affect the industry. I’m always eager to learn more, so please jump in the comments with feedback and send me tips.
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