WASHINGTON (AP) – The IRS stopped accepting electronically filed tax returns Wednesday because of problems with some of its computer systems. The outage could affect refunds, but the agency said it ...

The fight over who gets to own tax season in the United States is no longer just about software features or slick ads. The IRS is trying to normalize truly free filing, while TurboTax and its parent ...

The 'One Big Beautiful Bill Act' (OBBBA), signed into law on July 4, 2025, by President Trump, marks the end of the IRS's free tax filing programs. This includes the termination of the IRS Direct File ...

Over two dozen states incorporated the free tax software in 2025, but the IRS has decided to discontinue the program. Peter is a writer and editor for the CNET How-To team. He has been covering ...

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has ended the agency’s free service that allowed people to file their taxes directly. However, there are still several free alternatives for the 2026 tax filing ...

The IRS shut down its Direct File tax filing system, leaving taxpayers with one less option to file their returns for free. Direct File, launched during the Biden administration, was meant to serve as ...

The IRS Direct File program is no longer available. (Photo by Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images for Economic Security Project) We knew that it was coming, but now we know for sure: Direct File, the free ...

Elizabeth Guevara is a personal finance reporter who explains the world of business and economics and how it impacts your finances. She joined Investopedia in 2024. zeljkosantrac / Getty Images The ...

The IRS shut down its direct filing program for 2026, but Free File, Fillable Forms, MilTax, and some private tools remain—if you know where to look. Here’s how to navigate the free options still ...