IRS Direct File

Helping over 140,00 taxpayers file for free

Each year, every U.S. taxpayer has to file with the IRS. It’s critical to do it right. Tax credits, a positive return, and avoiding penalties are all important reasons why people need to be able to file an accurate return. Despite the importance of filing a tax return, it can be extremely complicated. The majority of taxpayers in the U.S. are spending hours or time and sometimes hundreds of dollars on paid solutions. This is costly and frustrating for everyone, but particularly for low-income individuals. For these folks, the extra cost can become a real burden.

So, the IRS decided to pilot Direct File for the 2024 tax season. The ultimate goal was saving taxpayers money and simplifying the tax process. As part of 18F, I worked with partners at the IRS, the U.S. Digital Service, and several civic tech contractor teams to design the first pilot for 2024.

As part of a large team that wanted to move quickly, everyone on the project applied their talents wherever they were needed. I contributed to Direct File in a few key areas, including:

• Mapping out the “sign and submit” workflow. This made sure taxpayers could finish filling out their return with confidence, and make sure they knew what would come next.
• Working on the user interface and an interactive prototype for the eligibility screener. This made sure folks knew if they qualified for the pilot before diving into the lengthy set of questions.

Direct File went on to serve over 140,000 taxpayers across 12 states and was generally well received by the public. The IRS announced it’s intent to make Direct File permanent in 2025, with the plan to expand to more states.