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Show HN: A continuation of IRS Direct File that can be self-hosted

(github.com)
242 points elijahwright_ | 6 comments | 30 Jun 25 22:08 UTC | HN request time: 1.108s | source | bottom

the IRS recently open sourced most of Direct File, a tax tool it has been working on for a few years now. unfortunately, due to recent events, the IRS isn't working on it anymore. I decided to pick up where they left off and I'm trying to get it ready for next tax season

the work behind Direct File is really interesting and I made a lot of it available online to read as well - https://docs.openfile.tax/en/latest/

1. 1oooqooq ◴[01 Jul 25 10:43 UTC] No.44432514[source]▶
never understood exactly what is the code they released. is it just the from filler that only works for people with a single w2 and no stocks etc?
replies(2): >>44434238 #>>44437501 #
2. toomuchtodo ◴[01 Jul 25 14:28 UTC] No.44434238[source]▶
IRS Direct File on GitHub - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=44182356 - June 2025

https://chrisgiven.com/2025/06/saying-goodbye/

https://chrisgiven.com/2025/05/direct-file-on-github/

https://github.com/IRS-Public/direct-file

(In the latest version of the bill being negotiated in Congress, the language to sunset Direct File has been removed, but this of course could change due to the fluidity of the situation; regardless, we are all better off having learned from this and having access to the source code)

3. elijahwright_ ◴[01 Jul 25 19:59 UTC] No.44437501[source]▶
the code they released was everything that is necessary to run Direct File in development, but they removed code relating to MeF (the IRS's online submission API) and SADI (the IRS's auth system which is integrated with ID.me). most of the code is the backend, Fact Graph (which is a very complex rules engine), the client app (both the form and the screener when you go to directfile.irs.gov), and the state tax API
replies(1): >>44442070 #
4. 1oooqooq ◴[02 Jul 25 10:39 UTC] No.44442070[source]▶
so it is the mostly useless system that only works for a single w2 :(

99.999% of people here would never be able to use it anyway.

replies(1): >>44448123 #
5. elijahwright_ ◴[02 Jul 25 19:57 UTC] No.44448123{3}[source]▶
it works with multiple W-2s I'm pretty sure. the goal is to make it work for everyone which is pretty difficult but I'm motivated to at least work on getting it to work with IRAs because I have one and I want to use this for next year
replies(1): >>44463468 #
6. 1oooqooq ◴[04 Jul 25 11:13 UTC] No.44463468{4}[source]▶
is this official but incomplete code better than the always open source but mostly complete open tax solver project?