Overview
- The IRS told 25 participating states by email that IRS Direct File will not be available for the 2026 filing season and set no future launch date.
- The Direct File website is closed, and users seeking records are directed to obtain transcripts through their IRS online accounts.
- An IRS evaluation obtained via FOIA shows 296,531 accepted returns through Direct File in 2025, up from 140,803 in 2024.
- Treasury Secretary and acting IRS Commissioner Scott Bessent said there are better alternatives to Direct File and argued the private sector can do a better job.
- A July 2025 law directed the IRS to study replacing direct e‑file programs and to assess public‑private partnerships, signaling a shift away from the government‑run system.