The Department of Administrative and Financial Services (DAFS) announced Tuesday that the state of Maine will join IRS Direct File.

Direct File provides federal income taxpayers with a convenient system for filing their federal taxes, saving certain Maine taxpayers tax filing fees and helping them claim the federal tax credits for which they are eligible.

IRS Direct File was made possible by President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act, which provided the IRS with new funding to improve customer service and ensure taxpayers claim the benefits and deductions they are entitled to.

Maine Revenue Services (MRS), an office of DAFS, will make Direct File available to Maine taxpayers next tax season to help them file their federal income taxes, and will work with the IRS to fully integrate Direct File and the Maine Tax Portal for future tax seasons, with the goal of completing this in 2026.

According to the IRS, Direct File is expected to benefit at least 120,000 taxpayers in the state of Maine.

For the upcoming tax season beginning in January 2025, an IRS Direct File link will be provided on the MRS website.

Those who use Direct File to file their federal taxes must file their state income tax return separately. This can be done through the Maine Tax Portal.

Then, MRS will work with the IRS to fully integrate Direct File and the Maine Tax Portal for future tax filing periods, with the goal of completing this in 2026. This will allow taxpayers to have their information automatically transferred from their completed federal tax return to begin their Maine tax return.