Code for America Calls IRS Report on Digital Free File Service Pilot “The Beginning of a Sea Change” for Tax Filers

Washington, DC – The U.S. Department of the Treasury (Treasury) and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) today announced a pilot project to develop a free and simple digital tax filing service—the first of its kind in the United States. 

Code for America—the leading civic tech nonprofit that works with community leaders and governments to build equitable, accessible digital tools and service—applauded the announcement and offered implementation assistance. The following statement can be attributed to Amanda Renteria, CEO of Code for America.

“Today’s announcement of a Direct File pilot marks the beginning of a sea change in the IRS as the agency transforms how Americans interact with the tax system and builds the 21st century tax and benefits administration our country deserves.

“We believe today’s announcement is a significant step toward revolutionizing access to the tax system so that it is easier and more equitable. A free and simple direct file service will ensure that more families in America receive the tax benefits they are eligible for. We congratulate the Administration on this milestone and stand ready to do all we can to help make this common-sense, good government idea a reality.

“At Code for America, our mission is to make government services more equitable and accessible, and over the last decade, we’ve used the power of human-centered design and technology to start transforming a number of areas of government—the social safety net, criminal justice reform including automatic record clearance, and tax benefits. Our research shows that the movement toward human-centered government is taking hold—at both the federal and state level, in red states and blue states.

“Code for America looks forward to learning more about the IRS’s approach with this pilot, and we hope to play a role in ensuring state filing is well served by this transformative new approach.”

About Code for America 

Code for America, a nonprofit founded in 2009, believes that government can work for the people, and by the people, in the digital age. We work with government at all levels across the country to make the delivery of public services equitable with technology. We work with community organizations and governments to build digital tools, change policies, and improve programs. Our goal: a resilient government that effectively and equitably serves everyone.