why the IRS killed a free, easy way to file your taxes
kill switch
Kaleidoscope
4.7 • 635 Ratings
🗓️ 8 April 2026
⏱️ 30 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Direct File promised a free and easy way for Americans to file their taxes, but after two successful tax seasons, it was shut down. Dexter talks with Merici Vinton, who helped build Direct File, about the project's development, why it was an example of a good government program, and how lobbying from private tax companies and DOGE’s involvement ultimately led to its downfall. Could Direct File make a comeback, or has the opportunity for free tax filing already passed?
Hit us up: killswitch@kaleidoscope.nyc, or @killswitchpod and @dexdigi on IG or Bluesky.
Links:
- Merici’s Direct File story: https://fas.org/publication/end-of-irs-direct-file/
- kill switch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@killswitch_pod
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | This is an I-Heart podcast. |
| 0:02.5 | Guaranteed human. |
| 0:12.4 | Have you seen the tax time meme? |
| 0:17.1 | Yes. |
| 0:18.0 | It's so great. |
| 0:19.5 | Tax time. |
| 0:20.6 | How much? |
| 0:21.5 | Secret. |
| 0:22.2 | Why? |
| 0:22.9 | Just $600? |
| 0:24.8 | Jail. |
| 0:25.8 | And it's so true. |
| 0:27.6 | It's just so frustrating. |
| 0:32.3 | I don't always start off my interviews with a meme, but this was a special case and it'll make sense in a second. Marisi Vinton is a senior advisor at the Federation of American Sciences, but before that, |
| 0:42.9 | she worked at the IRS, helping them build a tool called DirectFiles. So DirectFile is a free, |
| 0:51.9 | easy, secure, and accurate way for people to file their taxes online with the IRS. |
| 0:59.3 | It was a hugely popular program with the people that got to use it. |
| 1:04.9 | I'll never forget a person from Texas started their timer on their iPhone when they started filing their taxes and took a |
| 1:13.4 | screenshot of how long it took. And it was something ridiculous, like 25 minutes. It was so quick. |
| 1:19.7 | It is now tax season here in America. And if you live here, you know exactly how stressful this |
| 1:24.7 | time is. Enter direct file, a tax filing service. |
| 1:29.0 | Not only easy to use and not only free, but the people who use it have a better opinion |
... |
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