The Internal Revenue Service's free tax payment platform, Direct File, will soon be available to all taxpayers across 50 states following a successful pilot launch.
The US Treasury Department announced the arrival of the Direct File to more states for the Filing Season 2025 after it exceeded expectations.
The IRS first launched Direct File last March 12 to select states for taxpayers filing their W-2 documents, quickly gaining users to over 140,000 Americans just weeks after its opening.
The department said that it has already collected more than $90 million in tax returns and another $5.6 million in tax preparation fees throughout the pilot program.
Before Direct File, taxpayers have to resort to paid tax filing services like TurboTax, H&R Block, TaxSlayer, and Cash App Taxes to help them file their taxes.
The platform is among the several initiatives the administration has launched to cut down on hidden fees in utility services.
IRS Poses to Expand Direct File Services
With the platform soon becoming available to more taxpayers, the IRS and the Department of Treasury also plan to expand the Direct File's services to more Americans.
According to the department's press release, the IRS is already developing services to help the eligible receive their tax credits faster.
This will be in addition to the planned extension of the Free File program up until 2029, providing more taxpayers leeway to save up expenses in tax filing.
The IRS is expected to provide more details on planned expanded eligibility in the coming months.
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Direct File to Ease Tax Filing Distress for Millions of Americans
It is no secret that the US's tax filing system is notoriously stressful and expensive with average Americans spending $270 and 13 hours just to finish their filings.
With the arrival of the Direct File platform to more taxpayers, the IRS hopes that more people will be able to file their taxes on time and hassle-free.
