IRS Direct File alternatives: how to file free now that Direct File is gone

What happened to IRS Direct File?

IRS Direct File was discontinued after the 2025 filing season. On November 3, 2025 the IRS emailed the 25 states that had partnered with the program that Direct File would not be available in the 2026 filing season and that no launch date had been set for the future (Federal News Network).

Direct File was the IRS's own free online return, built for people with simple federal returns in participating states. The same report says 296,531 taxpayers used it in the 2025 season, up from 140,803 in its 2024 pilot. Treasury cited low participation and high cost when it ended the tool.

For the 2027 season, when you file your tax year 2026 return, treat Direct File as unavailable unless the IRS announces otherwise. As of September 2026 the IRS offers no Direct File sign-in, so treat any site claiming to offer Direct File access with suspicion. That leaves four real IRS Direct File alternatives, compared below.

What can I use instead of Direct File?

Most former Direct File users qualify for IRS Free File, which gives free guided software from IRS partner companies to filers with adjusted gross income (AGI) of $89,000 or less for tax year 2025 (IRS Free File). Direct File was built for simple returns, and simple returns are exactly what most Free File offers cover.

The IRS says to reach Free File partners only through IRS.gov, using its partner lookup tool, rather than going to a vendor site directly. Starting on a vendor's own home page can land you in a paid product that looks similar. Our IRS Free File program guide explains how the lookup works.

When Free File Fillable Forms makes sense

Free File Fillable Forms is the closest thing left to filing straight with the IRS: you type onto electronic versions of the IRS forms and the IRS receives the return. It has no income limit, but it performs only limited calculations and does not prepare state returns. If sign-in or submission breaks, see Free File Fillable Forms not working.

When volunteer help is the better choice

Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) and Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE) are IRS-certified volunteer programs. For tax year 2025 they served people generally earning $69,000 or less, people with disabilities, people 60 or older and people who need language support (IRS e-file options). A volunteer prepares and e-files the return with you, which suits anyone who found even Direct File's interview hard going.

Is there still a free way to file with the IRS?

Yes. Free File Fillable Forms is run under the IRS Free File program and sends your federal return to the IRS at no cost, whatever your income. In the 2026 season it opened on January 26, 2026, the same day IRS e-file opened, while guided Free File began accepting returns on January 9, 2026 (IRS newsroom).

For the 2027 season, the Free File AGI limit and the opening dates are not yet announced. The IRS usually publishes both in January, when Free File opens. Plan on the $89,000 figure as last year's limit only, and check the Free File page before you choose.

Worked example: picking a route

A single filer used Direct File for a 2024 return with one W-2 and $41,000 of wages. If their 2025 wages were similar, their AGI sits far below $89,000, so a guided Free File offer covers the federal return. If they live in a state with an income tax, they should read the partner offer's state terms before starting, because not every Free File offer includes a free state return.

How do I move my Direct File information to new software?

Plan to carry a few numbers over by hand rather than counting on an import from Direct File into commercial software. The one that matters most is prior-year AGI, which e-file software uses to confirm your identity when you sign with a Self-Select PIN (IRS Publication 1345).

1. Find the copy of the return you saved from Direct File, or the return you filed most recently if you have filed since.
2. Note the AGI line from that return; that is your prior-year AGI for the next return you file.
3. If you cannot find a copy, get your AGI from a tax return transcript through your IRS Online Account.
4. Write down any Identity Protection PIN the IRS issued you; the software will ask for it.
5. Gather this year's W-2s, 1099s and any Form 1095-A before you open the new program.

If your prior-year return was still being processed, the IRS has told filers in past seasons to enter $0 as prior-year AGI, and first-time filers over 16 also enter zero (IRS e-file PIN guidance). If the return is rejected for a signature mismatch anyway, our prior-year AGI or PIN guide walks through the fixes.

What about my state return without Direct File?

Direct File handed users off to a state tool when the state participated. With Direct File discontinued, state filing depends on the route you pick for your federal return.

• Free File Fillable Forms: no state returns at all. You file the state return separately, on paper or through the state's own options.
• Guided Free File: some partner offers include a free state return and some do not; the offer details say which.
• VITA and TCE: volunteers commonly prepare the state return at the same visit.
• State revenue departments: your state's tax agency website lists any free state e-file service it runs or endorses.

Check which state forms you need before comparing products, since a free federal return paired with a paid state return can cost more than a low-cost product that includes both. Our best tax software guide maps common return types to products.

Is IRS Direct File coming back in 2027?

No return has been announced. The IRS's November 2025 message to states said no future launch date had been set, and as of September 2026 the IRS has published nothing that restores Direct File for the 2027 filing season. If that changes, it will appear in the IRS newsroom, which is also where the 2027 season start date will be announced, usually in early January.

Plan your 2027 return as if Direct File will not exist. If you file in Canada as well, the free and certified options there work differently; see free tax software in Canada.