IRS Free File for 2025 Tax Returns: Is it Going Away?

computer and various desk accessories as well as money, with post it note that reads 'Tax Time'

(Image credit: Getty Images)

last updated 2 June 2025

The IRS Free File tax program has become more popular as of late.

Last year saw about 10% growth in participation, and this past tax season, millions of taxpayers were eligible to prepare their taxes with this free service before filing officially began.

But under a new House GOP tax proposal, all that might change. Not only is the GOP bill seeking to end the Free File program, but the IRS's other free filing tax service, Direct File, could also go away.

Subscribe to Kiplinger’s Personal Finance

Be a smarter, better informed investor.

Save up to 74%

https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/hwgJ7osrMtUWhk5koeVme7-200-80.png

Sign up for Kiplinger’s Free E-Newsletters

Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and more - straight to your e-mail.

Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice - straight to your e-mail.

Here's what you need to know about whether you might be eligible for Free File, and when or if he program disappears entirely.

Who can use IRS Free File in 2025?

Taxpayers who meet the criteria below could be eligible to use IRS Free File until the October 15, 2025, deadline, if you were granted a federal tax extension (state deadlines may differ):

Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) of $84,000 or less for 2024
Access to a computer, mobile phone, or tablet

Taxpayers may mail in tax forms if the chosen provider supports this method of filing. Additionally, individuals with gross income above $84,000 could still use Free File through fillable forms (more on those later).

How to free file taxes online

IRS online Free File offers eight private-sector partners for you to choose from, each with guided software. Some offer state tax return preparation. Here are the 2025 Free File partners:

*Note: ezTaxReturn also provides Spanish speakers with an online product.

Not sure which provider to use? The IRS provides a “Find a Trusted Partner” button to help you choose. After you answer several return-related questions, the tool lists qualifying providers who may file your taxes for free.

Click on the trusted partner you like and go to their website to start your tax return.

Free File tax credits and deductions

The IRS Free File offers what the tax agency describes as a “simple, no-cost way for taxpayers to claim the full amount of tax benefits for which they’re eligible” — and that extends to tax credits and deductions.

Some of the tax benefits you can claim via this free tax preparation program include:

… and various itemized deductions.

However, not all providers may support the documents required to claim these benefits, so check the company’s website before beginning the tax preparation process.

You can see a list of forms and schedules that could be provided by Free File providers on the IRS’ website here.

Free File Fillable Forms

Taxpayers with an AGI of $84,000 or above in 2024 can use the Free File Fillable Forms (FFFF). These are electronic versions of IRS paper forms, but there are some caveats:

Unlike the Free File online software, FFFF offers no tax preparation guidance
FFFF provides limited help with calculations
There is no state tax preparation or filing

However, if you are comfortable reading IRS instructions and publications to prepare your taxes, and your AGI is higher than the Free File maximum, FFFF may be useful.

Is Free File going away under House tax plan?

While the tax season officially ended on April 15, Free File allows you to prepare your taxes until October 15 if you applied for and were granted an extended deadline.

However, it's important to note that last tax season, another free tax filing program launched: IRS Direct File. Unlike Free File, Direct File aims to be available for those with higher incomes.

But a new provision in the latest House proposal, the "One Big, Beautiful Bill Act," seeks to end both Direct File and Free File programs.

The House GOP tax plan would combine the two services into one, new program: A "public-private partnership between the IRS and private sector tax preparation services."

If that sounds familiar, it is: Free File already partners with private sector companies.

While combining Free File and Direct File into one program may sound more streamlined, some are concerned that the call for elimination is mainly due to the IRS Tax Prep Service's competition with commercial tax preparation software, like H&R Block and TurboTax. Plus, while similar, Direct File differs from Free File in that it addresses different income limits and tax situations, making a potential combination perhaps more difficult.

Although the Republican-led House passed its version of the bill, the proposed legislation is expected to face revisions in the U.S. Senate. Stay tuned.. Stay tuned.

TOPICS

Kate is a CPA with experience in audit and technology. As a Tax Writer at Kiplinger, Kate believes that tax and finance news should meet people where they are today, across cultural, educational, and disciplinary backgrounds.