By The Seattle Medium
United Way of King County and United Ways of the Pacific Northwest are voicing strong opposition to reported White House plans to eliminate the IRS Direct File program—a free electronic tax filing system that has helped thousands of Washingtonians and others nationwide file their taxes easily and affordably.
Though United Way of King County will continue its Free Tax Preparation campaign, local leaders are warning that ending Direct File will significantly limit access to tax filing options, especially for lower-income residents.
“We are alarmed that the U.S. government would even suggest this as an idea,” said Gordon McHenry, Jr., president and CEO of United Way of King County. “Direct File is a tool that allows people to file their taxes as easily and efficiently as possible on their own. Filing taxes is stressful and challenging for many folks. Direct File helps to make filing taxes less stressful. This is not only a bad idea but will cause harm.”
Launched by the IRS as a pilot program, Direct File was developed to simplify tax filing and provide an alternative to for-profit tax preparation services. Its proposed elimination has sparked criticism from advocates concerned about accessibility and economic equity.
“This unfortunate decision will bring back tax preparation deserts across the region,” said Jim Cooper, president and CEO of United Ways of the Pacific Northwest, a regional network supporting 30 local United Way organizations in Washington, Oregon, and Idaho. “We have worked so hard to bring tax prep services to the table for everyone, and this is a huge setback that will reduce the wealth of families who qualify for credits and cannot file. I know we can do better as a country; our communities rely on strong partnerships with the federal government to succeed, but this is the opposite.”
United Way of King County’s Free Tax Preparation program offers both in-person and virtual assistance. Most in-person tax sites will close on April 19, but two locations—Seattle Library Main Branch and Southcenter Mall in Tukwila—will reopen on May 8 and operate through the end of July. Virtual support will continue through myfreetaxeswa.org, a platform offering access to other free tax prep locations across Washington.
“Long-term, this is a reduction of opportunities for everyone who needs and can benefit from filing their taxes,” said Ryan McFerran, Program Manager for Tax Credits & Financial Stability at United Way of King County. “So, there is an immediate impact because people will have fewer options to file their taxes right away. That means it is even more imperative to keep some of our tax sites open through the end of July.”
Though the White House’s reported move to dismantle Direct File came after the April 15 tax deadline, McFerran emphasized that the decision still affects many who have yet to file or who need options in future years.
Source: Seattle Medium
