IRS Direct File is gone. Here's what to use instead.
Updated for the 2026 filing season
If you filed with IRS Direct File the last two years, that option isn't there this season. The IRS confirmed Direct File would not be available for Filing Season 2026, and the program's site now shows a closed status instead of a login.
What actually happened
Direct File let taxpayers in a growing number of states file directly with the IRS at no cost, without going through a private software company. It was used by roughly 140,000 taxpayers across 12 states in its final season and had been set to expand further before it was shut down. The agency's stated reasoning was that private-sector tools could serve filers better; consumer advocates who liked the program have pushed back on that call, but for this filing season the outcome is the same either way: it's not an option.
If you need your old Direct File return
- You can no longer log in to the Direct File site to view past returns.
- A return transcript is available through your IRS online account at IRS.gov.
- For a full copy of a prior return, file Form 4506 with the IRS by mail.
What replaces it this year
Free filing didn't disappear, it just went back to being provider-based, and the provider list also changed. TurboTax and H&R Block both opted out of the traditional IRS Free File program, leaving eight remaining partners: 1040.com, 1040Now, EzTaxReturn, FileYourTaxes.com, FreeTaxUSA, OnLine Taxes, TaxAct, and TaxSlayer.
To use an IRS Free File partner, your 2025 adjusted gross income generally needs to be $89,000 or less, though some partners set a lower bar. Outside the Free File program, TurboTax's and H&R Block's own free tiers are still available directly through their sites, they're just no longer routed through IRS.gov.
Active military filers
If you're active duty, guard, or reserve, MilTax is a separate free option that isn't tied to the income cutoff that applies to the Free File partners above.
A new Schedule 1-A form covers deductions introduced under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, including no tax on tips, no tax on overtime, car loan interest, and an enhanced deduction for seniors. Not every free tier supports it yet, worth checking before you commit to a provider if any of these apply to you.