The Internal Revenue Service is moving ahead with a plan to build its own free tax filing program, known as Direct File, announcing Tuesday that a pilot version will be available to some taxpayers in 13 states next year.
Armed with an influx of new money approved by Democrats last year, the IRS is conducting a major overhaul of its operations – despite continued threats from Republicans to cut future funding and even abolish the agency altogether.
Eventually, the IRS tax filing system could serve as an alternative to private tax preparation companies like H&R Block and Intuit’s TurboTax.
Great news for tax filers in the U.S., and I hope this could be a step in the right direction! It's about time the IRS introduced a free tax filing program. Overhauling their operations and offering an alternative to private tax preparation companies is a welcome move, but I agree with IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel that it should remain a choice for taxpayers.
It's interesting to see that some states like Arizona, California, Massachusetts, and New York are opting to integrate their state taxes with the federal Direct File system. This could streamline the tax filing process for many. And for those in states without a state income tax, it's good to know they might also have the chance to participate in this pilot program.
The IRS's efforts to improve taxpayer services and digitize paper-filed tax returns sound promising. Reduced processing times and faster refunds are definitely something we can all get behind.
Let's hope this initiative proves to be successful, and it's essential that eligibility is determined carefully to ensure the right taxpayers benefit from this program. 📄💰🖥️
As a member of the agency the plan that is laid out is pretty competent. https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/irs-modernization#:~:text=IRS Modernization Plan&text=The plan provides a six,mission and future development needs.