With Direct File at Risk, I Found These 6 Other Free Ways to File Your Taxes
Direct File could be brought to an end within a month if the current budget reconciliation bill becomes law.
IRS/CNET
I've grown pretty dependent on the features and reliability of premium tax software like H&R Block over the years but the steadily rising costs of life right now have me questioning how I'll handle taxes in the future.
So imagine my disappointment to hear the news that the GOP-led Congress is inching closer to axing the popular – and free – IRS Direct File program. That's just my luck sometimes.
But my frustration is the least of things: Some folks might have had their 2025 tax filing deadline extended considerably because of natural disasters, and if they haven't filed already they might've been betting on using Direct File to get their returns sorted out. Handling the fallout of those disasters is a heavy enough burden without having to cough up extra money -- which you might not even have -- to get your tax return filed.
Because predicaments like that are all too common I've gone looking and put together some information about the free options left out there, in case Direct File goes away for good.
For all the details you'll need, keep reading, and for more help managing costs, check out CNET's daily tariff price impact tracker.
Is IRS Direct File going away?
It certainly seems like that. The reconciliation bill that recently passed the House of Representatives by the narrowest margin possible -- beyond extending the 2017 Trump tax cuts and setting a litany of other federal budget policies -- calls for the Direct File to be terminated. It's not clear when this might happen but the bill calls for it no later than 30 days after it becomes law.
As for what might come after that point, the reconciliation bill only calls for "a better public-private partnership between the IRS and private-sector tax preparation services," which gives no concrete details about what the end-product might be.
What is IRS Free File?
Free File is another service offered by the IRS and you can think of it as the predecessor to Direct File. For the time being, it seems safe. For the 2025 tax season, Free File was available to anyone -- individuals or families -- with a gross income limit of $84,000, and worked in collaboration with software companies like FreeTaxUSA and TaxAct. Direct File, by comparison, is a standalone product and has some other useful advantages, like the ability to automatically import a previous year's tax information.
"Both have their limitations in terms of salary or forms allowed, but they were two viable options for filers looking to complete their tax return for free," CNET tax editor Danni Santana explained. "I believe Direct File had a high ceiling and would become an even better option for more filers with the more tax situations it covered."
Do TurboTax and H&R Block offer free tax filing?
They do! For some folks.
Generally, the services offered by these tax prep companies have free or "basic" editions that let you file at no cost as long as your income situation is simple enough. Typically, "simple enough" stops at reporting W2 income and income from interest or dividends, and claiming things like the Child Tax Credit and the Earned Income Tax credit. These basic options from TurboTax and H&R Block come recommended by CNET.
"TurboTax works well for most filers. About 37% of filers also qualify to file for free, assuming they have simple tax situations," Santana said. "H&R Block is another option we love whose software works similarly to TurboTax and can be cheaper if you have to pay to file your return due to your tax situation."
What is FreeTaxUSA?
Santana also recommended some filers check out FreeTaxUSA, which he used to file his return this year. According to CNBC, it supports free filing "for nearly all tax situations," although state tax returns will run you $15 each. (Still a lot less than I paid to get my return sorted this year.)
Can I file my taxes with Cash App?
Believe it or not, you can. You can file federal and state free via Cash App Taxes, although you're out of luck if you'll want any sort of live customer support.
What is MilTax?
If you're an active duty US service member or veteran, you and your family can make use of MilTax, a filing service sponsored by the Department of Defense. With it, you can file your federal return and up to three state returns free.
For more about the latest tax changes, find out if taxes on tips are actually going away.
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