R.I.P. Direct File Tax Program

The IRS shut down its free tax filing program known as Direct File.  Direct file was a government-run program established under former President Joe Biden that allowed eligible taxpayers to file federal returns online at no cost.  FREE.  

Note:  This super basic tax program is geared towards those who would be filing a simple form.  It's not for those who make mega/maga bucks who would want an accountant to help them find a bunch of loopholes to avoid paying taxes.  It would help people who have to budget to put food on their table and gas in their cars.  It would help the people that lawmakers don't seem to care about.  

I have legally used the tax laws to my benefit and to the benefit of my company, my investors and my employees. I mean, honestly, I have brilliantly - I have brilliantly used those laws.  ~ donald trump




Intuit, maker of TurboTax, reported a record $3.9 million in federal lobbying expenditures in 2025 and has spent $53.8 million since 2004, the year after the Free File group was formed. Intuit’s lobbying surged in 2025, with a record more than $1.2 million spent in the first three months, its largest quarterly spending ever. The company also donated $1 million to Trump’s inauguration.


H&R Block spent nearly $3.2 million in lobbying in 2025 for the second straight year and has spent $49.7 million since 2004.

Both companies relied heavily on “revolving door” lobbyists, people who previously worked in government before moving into the lobbying industry.

Section 112207 of the House Ways and Means Committee’s portion of the reconciliation bill eliminated Direct File.  Instead, the bill established a “public-private partnership between the IRS and private sector tax preparation services,” effectively outsourcing the program to the private companies that have been lobbying against it. 


READ MORE 

How a new IRS program’s demise fits with Trump’s predatory economy - MS Now. One month before the start of Donald Trump’s second term, Intuit, the parent company of TurboTax, announced a $1 million contribution to his inauguration committee. At the time, the company told Politico the donation was “part of our decades-long commitment to bipartisan advocacy.”  But that long-time “bipartisan advocacy” was done with a goal in mind. As Politico reported: “Intuit has numerous interests in Washington that would incentive it to gain favor with the incoming Trump administration. It has spent more than two decades lobbying against the IRS making it easier to file people’s taxes online.”

GOP Moves to Kill Direct File Following Intuit’s Lobbying Surge - Sludge.   Their reconciliation bill eliminates the free program and will push taxpayers back to a system to be developed with profit-driven tax prep companies.

Intuit, Owner of TurboTax, Wins Battle Against America’s Taxpayers - The American Prospect  The successful IRS free tax filing program is being wound down, thanks in large part to Intuit’s copious spending in Washington.

IRS Officially Kills Direct File, a 'Failed' Program That Offered Millions Free Tax Prep - Money  The IRS Direct File program — a free, federally funded tax filing service — will not be available for the 2026 tax season, the agency informed state officials last week.  "I think that we have better alternatives," Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told reporters at the White House Wednesday. "It wasn't used very much, and we think that the private sector can do a better job."


WHO TO CONTACT

Your opinion only matters to our lawmakers if you let them know!  The more people who speak up, the more meaningful our opinions will be.  Don't wait to figure out the perfect thing to say.  Just start!!!  Here are some people you might want to contact:

Intuit Corporate Headquarters
2700 Coast Avenue
Mountain View, CA 94043
650-944-6000

H&R Block Corporate Headquarters
1 Henry And Robert Block Way
Kansas City, Missouri, 64105
800-472-5625 

Scott Bessent

U.S. Department of the Treasury
1500 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20220
(202) 622-2000



The House Ways and Means Committee
"The Committee on Ways and Means, the oldest tax-writing body in the U.S. House of Representatives since 1789, shapes fiscal legislation including taxes, tariffs, and social service programs. Its notable influence is underscored by numerous members who have risen to prominent national offices, including Presidents and Supreme Court Justices."


The House Ways and Means Committee
1011 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Phone: 202-225-4404


If you want to contact any of them:

CLICK HERE to go to the Directory of Representatives.  Click on a Rep's name to go to their page.  Their contact info is usually at the bottom of their main page.