The IRS' free tax-filing tool reportedly won't be offered in 2026

Direct File, the free, government-provided alternative to services like TurboTax, won't be available for the 2026 tax season, Bloomberg Tax reports. That's based on a letter sent from the Internal Revenue Service to participating states that says that "no launch date has been set for the future."

A Biden administration project, Direct File was designed to be an easy way for eligible taxpayers to file taxes online, without having to pay for a service like TurboTax or H&R Block to do it on their behalf. The IRS began piloting Direct File for the 2024 tax season, and opted to make it a permanent option later that year. Direct File was available for the most recent 2025 tax season in 25 states in the US.

Despite the service's success, the Trump administration appears to opposed to offering Direct File in its current form. The "Big Beautiful ...