Statement from Amanda Renteria, CEO of Code for America, on IRS Pre-Population Announcement

Code for America CEO Amanda Renteria issued the following statement regarding the Internal Revenue Service’s recent announcement that taxpayers who use its Direct File tool will have the option to employ data import, also known as pre-population, to complete tax returns this filing season:

In its pilot year, Direct File—the free, public, online tax filing system— catalyzed a profound shift in how we think about doing our taxes. What was a difficult process became a fast, easy, and secure experience. 

Now, the inclusion of pre-populated returns in Direct File will make tax filing easier than ever before. This groundbreaking feature eliminates one of the most burdensome aspects of tax filing: manual data entry from multiple tax documents. Taxpayers will now find their returns pre-filled with information already available to the IRS, requiring only verification rather than time-consuming transcription. This will help improve taxpayers’ experience while saving government time, too.

Pre-population is a meaningful step forward to creating the free, accessible, and easy-to-use tax filing system that taxpayers deserve. Code for America has been supportive of this idea since our earliest days of researching the barriers Americans face in filing their taxes. Ultimately, we envision a future where filing one’s taxes is simple, easy, and fast for everyone. Prepopulated returns serve as proof that technology can soon transform this vision into a reality. Code for America is committed to working alongside our state partners this tax filing season to ensure government makes it as easy as possible to file taxes.

At a moment when government efficiency is in the spotlight, Direct File is a clear example of a better path forward—making people’s lives easier and government systems more effective.  

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