Here’s who qualifies for the IRS’s free Direct File pilot program in 2024
IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel speaks at a Senate Finance Committee hearing in Washington, DC on April 19, 2023
Al Drago | Bloomberg | Getty Images
The IRS on Tuesday announced more details about its direct-filing pilot program, launching for the 2024 tax season.
The pilot, known as “Direct File,” will allow certain taxpayers to electronically file federal tax returns directly through the IRS for free, the agency told reporters in a news briefing.
Starting in 2024, Arizona, California, Massachusetts and New York will integrate state tax returns into the pilot program. Taxpayers from Alaska, Florida, New Hampshire, Nevada, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington and Wyoming may also be eligible.
An IRS official estimates that “at least several hundred thousand taxpayers across the country” will have the opportunity to participate in the 2024 pilot program.
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“In this 2024 limited pilot, we will work closely with states that have agreed to participate in an important test run of state integration,” said IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel. “This will help us gather important information about the future direction of the Direct File program.”
After filing federal tax returns through Direct File, the software directs taxpayers to government-sponsored tools to complete separate state tax returns. For 2024, this integration will only include participating states.
Who is Eligible for IRS Direct File in 2024?
“To ensure a good experience for taxpayers, the pilot will be launched in phases,” said Laurel Blatchford, chief implementation officer for the Inflation Reduction Act at the U.S. Treasury Department.
For 2024, the pilot will focus on individual filers with “relatively simple tax returns,” but not all taxpayers will be eligible. The IRS considers the program to include Form W-2 income, Social Security income, unemployment income, and interest of $1,500 or less.
