Washington, D.C. – As people prepare for the anticipated announcement about details related to the IRS’s Direct File pilot, Hart Research is publishing polling, with support from Economic Security Project and Groundwork Action, showing that more people are in favor of the IRS plan to deploy the Direct File pilot in 2024. Most notably, the polling showed that interest grew from 79% based on a poll conducted in April by Data for Progress to 88% based on a Hart Research poll conducted in September, an increase of 9%. On top of this, 3 in 4 people (77%) indicated that they would likely try the free file tool, the number is higher (81%) for people who already file their taxes online. You can find the poll results here.

“Everyone wants to file their taxes for free, it is just common sense. The only reason the IRS does not currently offer a free tax filing option is because tax prep companies lobbied extensively to protect their profits and stood in the way of free tax filing options,” said Adam Ruben, Vice President of Campaigns and Political Strategy for Economic Security Project. “Whether it be IRS polling, our polling, or even polling conducted by tax prep companies, we have consistently seen public opinion favoring free and fair filing, we just need Congress to remain vigilant in making sure that tax prep companies do not get in the way of the public’s interest in the 2024 Direct File pilot.” 

“A growing number of American taxpayers are demanding a free direct tax filing option even as the for-profit tax prep industry and their supporters in Congress are spending millions to undermine the initiative,” said Igor Volsky, Executive Director of Groundwork Action. “The ability to file our taxes for free is a fundamental taxpayer right and taxpayers across the country expect the IRS to build an effective system that allows us to do just that.”