Madison, WI – The Wisconsin Department of Revenue (DOR) announces that its free, secure, electronic filing
option, WisTax, will be available for filing 2025 income taxes, starting in February 2026 with expanded features
for those who claim the Veterans and Surviving Spouses Property Credit or need to amend their return. This
announcement comes in the wake of the IRS announcing it will discontinue its free, secure income tax filing
system, Direct File.
The IRS notified states that offered the free government tax filing service known as Direct File in 2025, including
Wisconsin, that the program has been discontinued and won’t be available for the next filing season. The
program allowed eligible taxpayers in certain states to file their federal taxes for free directly with the IRS. The
shutdown is effective as of November 2025 and no future launch date has been set.
“It is unfortunate that the IRS will not offer its Direct File program to allow residents to file income taxes for
free,” Secretary of Revenue David Casey said. “We had so much positive feedback from taxpayers who were able
to file both their federal and state income taxes using easy-to-use software that was free and
secure. Notwithstanding the federal government’s announcement, DOR is proud to continue our free file
product and will encourage taxpayers to utilize it.”
Taxpayers can learn more about WisTax by visiting DOR’s website or by contacting DOR Customer Service for
assistance.
Free federal and state tax preparation assistance is also available to eligible taxpayers through the VITA
program, offered by community organizations and IRS-certified volunteers. To locate a site near you for the , use
the VITA/TCE Locator Tool or the AARP Site Locator Tool.
