The IRS wants to hear from you on how you file your taxes. The agency opened a short, anonymous survey that could shape the future of free tax filing. It closes Sept. 5, 2025.
Why It Matters: Your answers will help the Treasury Department write a report to Congress that could decide what free options look like next year. Lawmakers asked Treasury to study ways to offer free filing to most people and whether to replace any IRS-run direct e-file program. The deadline for that report is Oct. 2, 2025.
What’s Happening: The IRS is running an online feedback survey through Sept. 5. It’s anonymous and open to anyone who files taxes. You can find it from the IRS.gov landing page.
• The agency says the survey will inform a required report to Congress on free tax prep and filing options.
Between The Lines: Congress told Treasury to deliver a plan within 90 days of the bill’s enactment. That plan must cover four things:
• The cost to build public‑private partnerships that provide free filing to up to 70% of taxpayers and replace any IRS direct e‑file program.
• What taxpayers prefer: a government‑run service or free options from private companies.
• How to make choices simple and consistent across providers, with features people actually need.
• The cost to develop and run a free, direct e‑file system, including what it would take to build each release.
The Big Picture: Free filing in the U.S. has been a mix of IRS programs and private software. The new law pushes policymakers to decide whether to keep an IRS‑run option, replace it with a public‑private model, or do both. Your feedback becomes part of the public record shaping that choice.
🧭 How To Weigh In: Go to the IRS’s “Free Online Tax Preparation Feedback Survey” from the IRS.gov page and complete it by Sept. 5. It takes a few minutes and does not ask for personal details.
🗓 Key Dates:
• Survey closes: Sept. 5, 2025.
• Treasury’s report due to Congress: Oct. 2, 2025.
