Illinois joins IRS Direct File program, allowing some taxpayers to file federal taxes for free
Some Illinois taxpayers will now have the option to file their federal tax returns for free with the IRS through its burgeoning tax preparation system Direct File.
The federal agency confirmed to the Sun-Times on Friday that the state is now a part of the program, joining 24 other states such as Wisconsin, Idaho and California.
The Illinois Department of Revenue declined to immediately comment.
Direct File was piloted in 2024, across 12 states, and has been pitched as the free government alternative to tax prep services like TurboTax, who have been accused as predatory by courts and the federal government.
Illinois was not part of last year’s pilot program because the IRS provided information about Direct File to states “fairly late in the year,” according to a previous statement by Maura Kownacki, spokesperson for the Illinois Department of Revenue.
According to the IRS, 90% of respondents in a survey of 11,000 users found their experience with Direct File to be “excellent or above average,” citing the system as being efficient and easy to use.
Richard Kaplan, an expert in tax policy and professor at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, said 60 other countries already have a system like the one launched by the IRS.
“It’s a reasonable proposition that this kind of critical interaction with the government, namely, filing your taxes, should be something the government makes easier, if not make available completely without charge.”
Kaplan said Illinois joining the Direct File program is “big and significant news.”
Illinois taxpayers will now be able to find a tab for the state on the IRS Direct File website. The portal is available to all users in eligible states regardless of income level, but it’s not yet geared for highly complex returns.
Not all are fans of the free federal program. In December, a group of Republican lawmakers penned a letter to President-elect Donald Trump, as well as Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, asking for Direct File to be eliminated. Among the signees was Illinois Rep. Darin LaHood, whose office could not be immediately reached for comment.
The letter claimed it to be unnecessarily costly and a “conflict of interest” for the IRS to help users with tax preparation.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.