Pennsylvania to join IRS Direct File

By Bill O Boyle
The Times Leader, Wilkes-Barre, Pa.
(TNS)

Gov. Josh Shapiro last week joined U.S. Department of the Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, leaders from the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue (DOR), Representative Brendan Boyle, and Representative Mary Gay Scanlon to announce that Pennsylvania will join IRS Direct File for filing season 2025, ensuring people have access to a free, easy-to-use online tool when they file their federal taxes next year.

Direct File will build on myPATH, Pennsylvania’s free tool to file state income taxes and apply for tax cuts like the Property Tax/Rent Rebate.

Gov. Shapiro said he believes we need to meet people where they are and make it easier to access government services online. That’s why the Shapiro Administration worked with the Treasury to bring this program to Pennsylvania. Direct File has already been proven successful at saving taxpayers’ money—in a pilot program across 12 states earlier this year, 140,000 taxpayers claimed more than $90 million in refunds and saved an estimated $5.6 million in filing fees using the free online filing tool.

“Filing your taxes should be free and easy—that’s why we’re improving our digital services and adopting IRS Direct File here in Pennsylvania,” Shapiro said. “Thanks to the Biden-Harris Administration’s Direct File initiative, Pennsylvanians will be able to save money by filing both their state and federal taxes at no cost on an easy-to-use platform. There should be no wrong door to access government services, and the Shapiro Administration will continue to bring human-centered, user-friendly, reliable, and accessible digital services to every Pennsylvanian to help lower costs and break down barriers.”

Secretary Yellen said thanks to President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act, more than 1.5 million Pennsylvanians will be able to file their taxes online for free, directly with the IRS in Filing Season 2025.

“Direct File will save Pennsylvania taxpayers time and money and help ensure they receive the tax benefits for which they are eligible,” Yellen said. “Direct File is one of the many ways the Biden-Harris Administration is working to lower costs in everyday life, and we are pleased to welcome Pennsylvania as the next state to offer this new free option to taxpayers.”

“We know from our experience that many Pennsylvanians spend a lot of time and money every year to ensure their personal income tax returns are filed timely and accurately. That’s why we’re eager to bring Direct File to Pennsylvania, because it will be a free and simple online filing tool that will relieve stress and a financial burden for many of our taxpayers,” said Secretary of Revenue Pat Browne.

Using the Direct File online filing tool, qualifying taxpayers will first be able to complete their 2024 federal tax returns. Following that step, Direct File will direct qualifying taxpayers to Pennsylvania’s state income tax filing system, myPATH, where they will be able to file and complete their 2024 Pennsylvania state returns.

Some information, including W-2s and demographic information, will automatically be uploaded to their state return to help save time and ensure folks don’t have to input their information twice.

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