IRS Direct File ended. Here is how to file free instead.
IRS Direct File was not offered in filing season 2026, and the IRS has not set a date to bring it back. If you used it in 2024 or 2025, you still have free ways to file, if you qualify.
What happened: The IRS told state tax agencies in November 2025 that Direct File would not be available in filing season 2026 and that no future launch date had been set. Its IRS.gov page now returns not found.
The closest free replacements
| If you liked Direct File because... | Try this |
|---|---|
| It was free online software you used yourself | IRS Free File (AGI $89,000 or less) or MyFreeTaxes (income under $89,000, includes state) |
| It filed straight with the IRS with no upsells | Free File Fillable Forms, any income, federal only |
| Your return was simple (W-2, Social Security, basic credits) | VITA volunteers prepare it for you, free if you make about $70,244 or less |
| You are 60 or older | TCE or AARP Tax-Aide |
| You are in the military | MilTax, federal plus up to three state returns |
| It handed off to your state's free filing | Your state page lists free state options |
Watch out for "free" that isn't
Some commercial software advertises free filing but charges once you add a form, a state return or support. To get IRS Free File, start from the IRS Free File page, not a company website. Start at IRS.gov. Going straight to a company website does not get you the Free File offer.
Common questions
Is IRS Direct File available in 2026?
No. IRS Direct File was not offered in filing season 2026, and the IRS has not set a date to bring it back.
What is the closest replacement for Direct File?
For most former Direct File users, IRS Free File guided software (AGI $89,000 or less, tax year 2025) or MyFreeTaxes (income under $89,000) are the closest: free online software you use yourself. Free File Fillable Forms works at any income if you can do the forms yourself.
Will Direct File come back?
The IRS has not announced a date. We will update this page if that changes.
I used Direct File with my state. What now?
Many states have their own free filing options. See your state page for free state filing and the state deadline.
Sources
- Route Fifty: Direct File won't happen in 2026, IRS tells states
- IRS Free File: do your taxes for free
- MyFreeTaxes by United Way
- IRS: Free tax return preparation for qualifying taxpayers
- IRS Tax Tip 2026-08
Facts on this page were checked against these sources on October 8, 2026. Rules change each year; confirm with the official source before you file.