Wyden Secures Commitment from Treasury Secretary Nominee for IRS Direct File to Continue This Tax Season

Washington, D.C.– U.S. Senator Ron Wyden today secured a commitment from Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to continue IRS Direct File this tax filing season in Oregon and 24 other states participating in the agency’s free alternative to paid tax preparation software.
“This is the program that helps people who use it to save hundreds of dollars when they file their tax returns,”Wyden said during the Senate Finance Committee’sconfirmation hearing for Bessent.“It’s enormously popular among taxpayers. But of course the tax software giants and their lobby just hate it.”
Wyden, the committee’s ranking member, noted that 30 million Americans across 25 states will be eligible to use Direct File this year when tax filing season begins on Jan. 27.
“Today’s commitment is good news for taxpayers in Oregon and nationwide weary of shelling out their hard-earned money to private software companies for what should be a public service free of ripoffs,”Wyden said after the hearing.“I’ll keep watchdogging the incoming administration to make sure it keeps this promise this year, and to ensure this valuable free service remains available in future years for taxpayers working hard to make ends meet.”
A video exchange of Wyden and Bessent ishere.