The United States Internal Tax Service (IRS) opened the 2025 tax presentation season starting since Monday, January 27, and with expanded and improved tools to help taxpayers as a result of the historical modernization efforts of the agency.
It is expected that more than 140 million declarations of individual taxes for Tax Year 2024 will be presented before the federal deadline set for Tuesday, April 15.
It is expected that more than half of all tax statements are presented this year with the help of a tax professional, and the IRS urges people to hire a trusted tax professional to avoid possible scams and fraud.
Likewise, the IRS has expanded the characteristics and availability of the Direct File program last year. This year, Direct File is available for taxpayers in 25 states.
In addition, you have the Free File of IRS program. Available only on the website Irs.gov, the Free File of IRS tax software provides millions of taxpayers throughout the country access to free software tools offered by trusted partners.
It should be noted that the last two presentation seasons saw service levels of approximately 85 % and the average waiting time was less than 5 minutes in the main telephone lines, as well as significant increases in the number of taxpayers served in the taxpayer assistance centers throughout the country.
Based on current plans and financing levels, the agency will work to provide similar levels of performance in these key service metrics in the next presentation season.
“This has been a historical period of improvements for IRS, and people will see additional tools and characteristics to help them with the presentation of their taxes this season,” said IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel.
«These improvements focused on the taxpayer that we have made so far are important, but they are only the beginning of what IRS needs to do. It can be done more with a continuous investment in the country’s tax system ».
The page prepares at Irs.gov highlights the steps that taxpayers can take to expedite the presentation process and the many resources available to interact with the IRS before, during and after presenting their federal tax declaration.
Direct File
On the first day of the presentation season, Direct File opens to eligible taxpayers in 25 states to present their taxes directly with the IRS for free: 12 states that were part of the pilot last year: New York, Arizona, California, Florida, Massachusetts, Nevada, Nuevo Hampshire, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington and Wyoming; plus 13 new states where Direct File is available in this 2025: New Jersey, Alaska, Connecticut, Idaho, Illinois, Kansas, Maine, Maryland, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.
Direct File includes new features this year to make tax presentation faster and more easy. Similar to commercial tax software, an data import tool will allow taxpayers to choose to automatically import your IRS account, including personal information, taxpayer personal identification pin (IP PIN) and some W-2 information of the taxpayer.
Also this year, Direct File users can try a new chatbot to help guide them through the eligibility verifier. The live Chat will be available again in English and Spanish, and users may opt for additional authentication and verification, which will allow customer service representatives to provide more information.
Direct File includes more tax situations. During 2024, Direct File supported taxpayers who claimed tax credit for labor income, children’s tax and credit for other dependents.
This 2025, Direct File also includes taxpayers who claim:
– Credit for children and dependent
– Prima Tax Credit
– Credit for older and/or incapacitated people
– Credits for savings contributions for retirement
In addition to including taxpayers who claim standard deduction and interest deductions of student loans and educational expenses, this year, Direct File will support taxpayers who claim deductions for health savings accounts. The Treasury Department estimates that more than 30 million taxpayers will be eligible to use Direct File in the 25 states.
Direct File is a web -based service that works on mobile phones, laptops, tablets or desktop computers. Guide taxpayers through a series of questions to prepare their federal tax declaration step by step.
Last year, thousands of Direct File users received help from IRS customer service representatives through a live chat function in English and Spanish. Once the taxpayers have completed their federal tax declaration, the Direct File system automatically guides state tools to complete their state tax declarations.
Free File
Almost all can electronically present their taxes for free by Free File of the IRS, available only on the official Irs.gov. In its twenty-third year, Free File offers free tax preparation software of eight companies in public-private collaboration between the IRS and Free File Inc.
As part of this association, software partners offer their online products to eligible taxpayers for free. To access these tools, taxpayers must start from the Free File page of the IRS at IRS.gov.
This year, eight private sector partners offer online guided tax software products for taxpayers with a gross (AGI) of $ 84,000 or less in 2024. In addition, a partner will offer a product in Spanish.
More free options
In addition to Free File and Direct File, the United States Internal Revenue Service reminds them of taxpayers that there are important programs available to help them:
– Voluntary Assistance Program for Taxpayers of the Tax on Income/Tax Advice Program for the elderly:
Taxpayers can find organizations in their community with volunteers certified by the IRS that provide free tax help for eligible taxpayers, including working families, older people, people with disabilities and people who do not dominate English.
– Miltax:
A program of the Department of Defense, MILTAX (in English) generally offers free preparation of electronic statements and software for federal tax declarations and up to three state tax declarations for all members of the Army and some veterans, without revenue limit.
