Free. Easy. Secure.
Direct File
You could get thousands of dollars back, even if you don’t need to file a tax return.
There is now a better way to do your taxes in Illinois.
Direct File is a free, easy & secure way to file taxes directly with the IRS. Go to directfile.irs.gov
Many low-income individuals and families are eligible for federal and state tax credits they may not even know about.
Even if you earn too little to be required to file taxes, you can file taxes to get money back from the government.
Direct File will guide you step-by-step through the filing process. It is available in English or Spanish and can be used on a smartphone, tablet, or computer.
You can even file your state taxes for free and claim the updated Illinois Earned Income Tax Credit (EIC) and new Child Tax Credit.
Who’s eligible to use
Direct File?
Direct File is currently available to millions of people who:
- Have W-2 wage income
- Have SSA-1099 Social Security income
- Have 1099-G unemployment compensation
- Have 1099-INT Income
- Have standard deductions
Direct File is not available if you have:
- Income from multiple states
- Gig income
- Rental or business income
- Itemized deductions.
You can make the following deductions using Direct File: a standard deduction, student loan interest, educator expenses or Health Savings Account contributions.
Use this eligibility checker if you aren’t sure if you qualify for Direct File. If you aren’t eligible to use Direct File, you can find other free resources for filing taxes on our Tax Filing Help page.
Additional groups may be eligible to use Direct File next year.
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Enter to win a $100 gift card by sharing your story. Hearing back from filers and nonfilers helps us know what changes need to be made.
Am I eligible for a
tax refund?
Hundreds or even thousands of dollars are available in tax credits like the Earned Income Tax Credit or Child Tax Credit, especially for low-income individuals and families. Even if you are not required to file a tax return, you could receive a tax refund when you file taxes. For example, you may get money back by filing if you:
- Had income tax withheld from your pay, pension, social security or other income
- Care for your dependent children – you may be eligible for the Child Tax Credit
- Work but earn less than $67,000 – you may be eligible for the Earned Income Tax Credit – even if you don’t have children
- Paid for daycare for your dependent child or children – you may be eligible for the Child and Dependent Care Credit
- Had a side job, part-time, seasonal work, or sold goods online.
You may owe money if you did work on the side but didn’t pay taxes, owe child support, work in a different state, or have parking or other tickets. However, some tax credits are substantial and you could still end up with a refund. If you earn less than the filing threshold you can decide whether or not you want to file taxes. Find free filing help for people who do gig work or have non-W-2 income on our Tax Filing Help page.
Family members or foster parents who have custody may be eligible for the EITC or CTC for children who live with them most of the year. However, pay attention to IRS rules and be careful not to claim children who are claimed by other family members already.
What tax credits can I claim using Direct File?
You can use Direct File or your previous tax filing method to claim tax credits. For many low-income families this could mean a large tax refund. Here are the credits you can claim using Direct File:
- Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC)
- Child Tax Credit (CTC)
- Credit for Other Dependents
- Child and Dependent Care Credit
- Premium Tax Credit
- Retirement Savings Contributions Credit (Saver’s Credit)
- Credit for th the Elderly and Disabled
More people are now eligible for the Illinois EIC who are not eligible for the federal EITC including people aged 18-25 and 65+ and people filing with an ITIN. As of 2024, Illinois also has a state Child Tax Credit.
When is the deadline to file using Direct File?
If you owe taxes, the deadline to pay is by April 15th so you must file by that date. However, there are no penalties for filing later if you don’t owe taxes. Direct File will be open until October 15th. For many people with W-2 income, they have likely already paid their taxes.
If you haven’t filed in a few years you can still claim your tax credits for up to three years, however Direct File does not support filing past years as of 2025. Learn more about how to claim past years’ tax credits on our Tax Filing Help page.
Not eligible for Direct File this year or confused about whether you should file?
Get answers to your questions and information about other free services on our Tax Filing Help page.