Key Takeaways
- The Internal Revenue System will begin accepting tax returns from qualifying taxpayers starting on Friday through its Free File program.
- To make filing taxes easier and cheaper, the Free File program is available to taxpayers nationwide with an Adjusted Gross Income of $84,000 or less.
- The IRS is also expanding its Direct File program to more states. This program offers free tax preparation services for anyone at any income level, but only certain states participate.
The Internal Revenue Service announced that millions of qualifying taxpayers will be able to start on their 2024 tax returns for free starting Friday.
Taxpayers nationwide with an Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) of $84,000 or less qualify for the IRS Free File. The IRS will begin accepting tax returns starting Jan. 10, but they will not be filed until tax filing season starts later in January.
The tax preparation program provides many taxpayers with free access to third-party online tax software, with the goal of making it easier and cheaper to file taxes. American taxpayers, in total, are estimated to pay at least $133 billion and spend 6.5 billion hours to complete tax returns, according to a 2024 report by the National Taxpayers Union Foundation.
IRS Also Expanding Its Direct File Program
After positive reviews during the pilot program, the IRS is expanding its Direct File program compared to last year and has doubled the number of states in which it is offered.
The Direct File program allows taxpayers with any level of AGI to file taxes for free directly through the IRS website. It will be available when the tax filing season officially opens, which is typically the last week of January.
Although there is no income qualification, the program is only available in 24 states. In addition, taxpayers who itemize deductions or earn income through the gig economy, rental or business cannot utilize the program, and only select tax credits can be applied.
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