Come tax time, just about everyone has at one point or another found themselves wondering the same thing: "If the IRS knows how much I owe, why do I have to calculate this myself?" For many, that ...

Add Yahoo as a preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. The Trump administration shut down the "Direct File" program through the IRS, leaving many Americans with one fewer free tax ...

Elizabeth Guevara is a personal finance reporter who explains the world of business and economics and how it impacts your finances. She joined Investopedia in 2024. zeljkosantrac / Getty Images The ...

The IRS shut down its direct filing program for 2026, but Free File, Fillable Forms, MilTax, and some private tools remain—if you know where to look. Here’s how to navigate the free options still ...

The IRS Direct File program is no longer available. (Photo by Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images for Economic Security Project) We knew that it was coming, but now we know for sure: Direct File, the free ...

The Trump administration has shut down the IRS "Direct File" program, which was a free tax filing option. Critics of Direct File cited high development costs and low user participation for its closure ...

“Direct File worked really well, and it's a great example of how the IRS can do technology, or how the government can do technology, effectively,” said former IRS Commissioner Daniel Werfel. For a ...

Over two dozen states incorporated the free tax software in 2025, but the IRS has decided to discontinue the program. Peter is a writer and editor for the CNET How-To team. He has been covering ...

The IRS is suspending the Direct File program, a free guided tax software for taxpayers in 25 states, for the upcoming filing season. Other free federal tax preparation programs will still be ...

Get the latest federal technology news delivered to your inbox. The IRS is recommitting to its decades-old partnership with tax prep companies as the main option for Americans to file their taxes ...