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superace apk By Kemberley Washington, CPA, Bankrate.com The IRS Direct File program, which lets taxpayers file their federal income tax return directly with the IRS for free, is doubling its reach to 24 states for the 2025 tax season, up from 12 states in 2024, the program’s pilot year. The Direct File program will also accept more types of tax situations for the 2025 tax season. While taxpayers who used the system in 2024 could claim a handful of tax credits, including the earned income tax credit and the child tax credit , that list is expanding in 2025 to include the child and dependent care credit , among others. Related Articles An estimated 30 million taxpayers will qualify for the Direct File program in 2025, the IRS says. More than 140,000 taxpayers filed their federal tax returns through the Direct File program in 2024. About 90% of users said their experience was excellent or above average, according to a survey of about 11,000 Direct File users in 2024, conducted by the General Services Administration. “We’re excited about the improvements to Direct File and the millions more taxpayers who will be eligible to use the service this year,” said Danny Werfel, the IRS commissioner, in a statement. “Our goal is to improve the experience of tax filing itself and help taxpayers meet their obligations quickly and easily.” The IRS says that taxpayers can use Direct File when the 2025 tax season kicks off in January, and it will be available until Oct. 15, 2025. But the program’s future is somewhat unclear: In December, 29 Republican lawmakers sent a letter to President-elect Donald Trump, calling for him to end the Direct File program on his first day in office. Lawmakers in the U.S. House of Representatives also introduced legislation in July to end the Direct File program. For now, here’s what you need to know about how the IRS Direct File program works, and how to qualify for it. The Direct File program is a new initiative, about to enter its second year, that allows taxpayers to file their federal tax returns electronically with the IRS. The no-cost tool guides taxpayers through every part of their federal income tax return. Taxpayers can file using a smartphone, computer or tablet. One of the program’s advantages is that, if you have questions as you’re working on your return, you can get live support directly from the IRS via chat or phone. IRS representatives can answer basic tax questions and help with technical issues in English and Spanish. The Direct File program has income limits, as well as limits on the types of income, deductions and credits you can enter on your tax return. For the 2025 tax season: To be eligible for Direct File, your income can come from the following sources: But if you’re self-employed, or have business or rental income, you can’t use Direct File . Same goes for IRA contributions or distributions: If you have either, you can’t use Direct File. You can use the IRS Direct File program only if you claim the standard deduction — the program isn’t available to people who itemize. But you can claim certain above-the-line deductions: student loan interest , educator expenses and health savings account contributions . You can’t use Direct File if you want to deduct your IRA contributions. The Direct File program allows for the following tax credits in 2025: However, if you want to claim education credits , credits for energy efficient home upgrades or the adoption expense credit , you can’t use the Direct File program. More taxpayers will have access to the IRS Direct File program in 2025. In 2024, the IRS kicked off the program with only 12 states; that number has expanded to 24 states for the 2025 tax season. For some of the states that participate in the IRS Direct File program, your federal return information will be transferred automatically to the state tax website, but in some cases you’ll have to re-enter your information. Visit this IRS Direct File page to get the details for your state. Here is a list of the participating states: If you don’t qualify for the IRS Direct File program, you may have other options to file your tax return for free. In addition to Direct File, the IRS offers the Free File program, in which it partners with online tax software providers to provide free federal income tax return filing. Some providers also allow you to file a state income tax return. For the 2024 tax season, your adjusted gross income had to be less than $79,000 to qualify for the Free File program. That dollar threshold is likely to rise slightly for the 2025 tax season. The IRS also offers the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program, which provides certified volunteers to prepare basic tax returns if you earn less than $67,000 a year, are disabled, or speak limited English. You can find a site near you by visiting this IRS page . ©2024 Bankrate.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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By Michelle Marchante, Miami Herald (TNS) MIAMI — As her students finished their online exam, Arlet Lara got up to make a cafe con leche . Her 16-year-old son found her on the kitchen floor. First, he called Dad in a panic. Then 911. “I had a stroke and my life made a 180-degree turn,” Lara told the Miami Herald, recalling the medical scare she experienced in May 2020 in the early months of the COVID pandemic. “The stroke affected my left side of the body,” the North Miami woman and former high school math teacher said. Lara, an avid runner and gym goer, couldn’t even walk. “It was hard,” the 50-year-old mom said. After years of rehabilitation therapy and a foot surgery, Lara can walk again. But she still struggles with moving. This summer, she became the first patient in South Florida to get an implant of a new and only FDA-approved nerve stimulation device designed to help ischemic stroke survivors regain movement in their arms and hands. This first procedure was at Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami. Lara’s rehab was at at the Christine E. Lynn Rehabilitation Center for The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, part of a partnership between Jackson Health System and UHealth. Every year, thousands in the United States have a stroke , with one occurring every 40 seconds, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The majority of strokes are ischemic, often caused by blood clots that obstruct blood flow to the brain. For survivors, most of whom are left with some level of disability, the Vivistim Paired VNS System, the device implanted in Lara’s chest, could be a game changer in recovery, said Dr. Robert Starke, a UHealth neurosurgeon and interventional neuroradiologist. He also serves as co-director of endovascular neurosurgery at Jackson Memorial Hospital, part of Miami-Dade’s public hospital system. Arlet Lara, the first patient in South Florida to get an FDA-approved nerve stimulation implant, right, runs into her rehabilitation neurology physician Dr. Gemayaret Alvarez, before her physical therapy appointment on Monday, Sept. 9, 2024, at Lynn Rehabilitation Center at Jackson Memorial Hospital. The implant is designed to help stroke survivors regain function in their arms. (Alie Skowronski/Miami Herald/TNS) Arlet Lara, the first patient in South Florida to get an FDA-approved nerve stimulation implant designed to help stroke survivors regain function in their arms, goes through exercises while her therapist activates the device during her physical therapy appointment on Monday, Sept. 9, 2024, at Lynn Rehabilitation Center at Jackson Memorial Hospital. The activation works as positive reinforcement to her muscles when she completes the exercise correctly. (Alie Skowronski/Miami Herald/TNS) Arlet Lara, the first patient in South Florida to get an FDA-approved nerve stimulation implant, does an exercise while Neil Batungbakal, rehabilitation therapist, activates the implant with the black trigger during her physical therapy appointment on Monday, Sept. 9, 2024, at Lynn Rehabilitation Center at Jackson Memorial Hospital. The implant is designed to help stroke survivors regain function in their arms. The activation works as positive reinforcement to her muscles when she completes the exercise correctly. (Alie Skowronski/Miami Herald/TNS) Arlet Lara, the first patient in South Florida to get an FDA- approved nerve stimulation implant, does an exercise while Neil Batungbakal, rehabilitation therapist, activates the implant with the black trigger during her physical therapy appointment on Monday, Sept. 9, 2024, at Lynn Rehabilitation Center at Jackson Memorial Hospital. Arlet Lara, the first patient in South Florida to get an FDA-approved nerve stimulation implant, right, runs into her rehabilitation neurology physician Dr. Gemayaret Alvarez, before her physical therapy appointment on Monday, Sept. 9, 2024, at Lynn Rehabilitation Center at Jackson Memorial Hospital. The implant is designed to help stroke survivors regain function in their arms. (Alie Skowronski/Miami Herald/TNS) The Vivistim Paired VNS System is a small pacemaker-like device implanted in the upper chest and neck area. Patients can go home the same day. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the stroke rehabilitation system in 2021 to be used alongside post-ischemic stroke rehabilitation therapy to treat moderate to severe mobility issues in hands and arms. Lara’s occupational therapist can activate the device during rehabilitation sessions to electrically stimulate the vagus nerve, which runs from the brain down to the abdomen and regulates various parts of the body’s nervous system. The electrical stimulation rewires the brain to improve a stroke survivor’s ability to move their arms and hands. Lara also has a magnet she can use to activate the device when she wants to practice at home. Her therapy consists of repetitive tasks, including coloring, pinching cubes and grabbing and releasing cylindrical shapes. After several weeks of rehabilitation therapy with the device, Lara has seen improvement. “Little by little, I’m noticing that my hand is getting stronger. I am already able to brush my teeth with the left hand,” she told the Miami Herald in September. Since then, Lara has finished the initial six-week Vivitism therapy program, and is continuing to use the device in her rehabilitation therapy. She continues to improve and can now eat better with her left hand and can brush her hair with less difficulty, according to her occupational therapist, Neil Batungbakal. Lara learned about the device through an online group for stroke survivors and contacted the company to inquire. She then connected them with her Jackson medical team. Now a year later, the device is available to Jackson patients. So far, four patients have received the implant at Jackson. Starke sees the device as an opportunity to help bring survivors one step closer to regaining full mobility. Strokes are a leading cause of disability worldwide. While most stroke survivors can usually recover some function through treatment and rehabilitation, they tend to hit a “major plateau” after the first six months of recovery, he said. Vivistim, when paired with rehabilitation therapy, could change that. Jackson Health said results of a clinical trial published in the peer-reviewed medical journal The Lancet in 2021 showed that the device, “when paired with high-repetition, task-specific occupational or physical therapy, helps generate two to three times more hand and arm function for stroke survivors than rehabilitation therapy alone.” The device has even shown to benefit patients 20 years from their original stroke, according to Starke. “So now a lot of these patients that had strokes 10-15 years ago that thought that they would never be able to use their arm in any sort of real functional way are now able to have a real meaningful function, which is pretty tremendous,” Starke said. Vivistim’s vagus-nerve stimulation technology was developed by researchers at the University of Texas at Dallas’ Texas Biomedical Device Center and is being sold commercially by Austin-based MicroTransponder, a company started by university graduates. Similar devices are used to treat epilepsy and depression . For Lara, the device is a new tool to help her recovery journey. “Everything becomes a challenge so we are working with small things every day because I want to get back as many functions as possible,” Lara said. Patients interested in Vivistim should speak with their doctor to check their eligibility. The FDA said patients should make sure to discuss any prior medical history, including concurrent forms of brain stimulation, current diathermy treatment, previous brain surgery, depression, respiratory diseases and disorders such as asthma, and cardiac abnormalities. “Adverse events included but were not limited to dysphonia (difficulty speaking), bruising, falling, general hoarseness, general pain, hoarseness after surgery, low mood, muscle pain, fracture, headache, rash, dizziness, throat irritation, urinary tract infection and fatigue,” the FDA said. MicroTransponder says the device is “covered by Medicare, Medicaid, and private insurance with prior authorization on a case-by-case basis.” To learn more about the device, visit vivistim.com. ©2024 Miami Herald. Visit at miamiherald.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.Alas! Tougher sanctions loom for airport troublemakers

LOS ANGELES — The programs came calling, last winter, and Kyron Hudson deflected them all to his father. Between USC wide receiver Hudson and Oregon defensive tackle Keyon Ware-Hudson, father Chance reflected, he had about 12 teams reach out about the possibility of his sons entering the transfer portal. A few, Chance told the Southern California News Group back in the fall, were interested in package deals. And father Chance listened, because the money was hard to turn down. But Hudson, even through three years of inconsistent snaps and infrequent opportunity, didn’t want to leave USC. “His answer? From him?” Chance said in the fall, asked if Hudson thought about transferring. “Absolutely not. There was zero.” A breakout season and a reel of highlight catches later, though, and receiver Hudson has officially entered the portal following his redshirt junior season at USC, announcing his departure in a lengthy statement on X (formerly Twitter) . “I step forward,” Hudson wrote, “with gratitude for my time at USC and anticipation for what lies ahead.” In a room full of talented sophomores jockeying for snaps, the former Mater Dei High standout emerged as the most consistent veteran presence at receiver for USC in 2024, hauling in a career-best 38 catches for 462 yards in 12 games. His handful of one-handed grabs became a signature, a career-best 83-yard game against LSU and a couple of improbable catches helping USC earn an impressive Week 1 win . Even as game-to-game opportunities in Coach Lincoln Riley’s passing attack wavered, Hudson was a constant on the outside, racking up the most snaps of any Trojans receiver in 2024. Amid a late-season flu that swept through USC’s locker room down the stretch, Hudson had to receive an IV for fluids during the week of the Nebraska game, according to a source familiar with the situation. That Saturday, he still caught three passes for 35 yards and a touchdown. “I mean, he’s one of those guys – you just kind of, you can’t have enough of ’em in your program, that they just stay the course, they just keep getting better,” Riley said, earlier in the season, of Hudson. “There’s not, maybe always these massive jumps. But they’re always there. He always practices, he never misses anything, he never misses a rep.” That consistency, in turn, will be missed dearly in USC’s receivers room in 2024, with veteran leaders Hudson and Kyle Ford (out of eligibility) now moving on.Nvidia’s Record-Breaking Year: Key Details Revealed Nvidia, the tech titan known for its powerful AI chips, has made headlines this year with a string of groundbreaking achievements. Renowned for its high-performance graphics processing units (GPUs), Nvidia has experienced an extraordinary surge in demand that has propelled the company to unprecedented heights. This momentum has not only driven record earnings but has also catapulted Nvidia to become, albeit briefly, the largest company by market value, even surpassing Apple. This year has been nothing short of revolutionary for Nvidia, as the company garnered an invitation to the prestigious Dow Jones Industrial Average. It also topped benchmarks as the best-performing stock. Now, Nvidia reaches yet another milestone, capturing nearly $30 billion in net inflows from retail investors — a massive leap from $11 billion last year, showcasing its rising popularity among everyday investors. The GPU Revolution and Continued Growth Initially driving video games, Nvidia’s GPUs have expanded into artificial intelligence due to their ability to handle many simultaneous tasks. This expansion has fueled explosive revenue growth, with Nvidia reporting a staggering $35 billion in revenue last quarter. With a strong profit margin exceeding 70%, the company confidently presses forward with its innovative Blackwell architecture launch, promising even greater advancements. Is Nvidia a Buy for 2025? Despite its soaring valuation, Nvidia’s growth trajectory, amplified by new launches, indicates substantial future potential. CEO Jensen Huang highlights a $1 trillion opportunity as outdated computers worldwide will require Nvidia’s accelerated computing power. This, combined with the strong demand for its Blackwell system, suggests that Nvidia remains well-poised to be a top choice for retail investors moving into 2025. Nvidia’s Meteoric Rise: What Lies Ahead? Unpacking The Trends and Innovations That Define Nvidia’s Future Nvidia has transformed the landscape of technology in recent years, particularly through its highly advanced AI chips and GPUs. Its dedication to innovation has not only sustained but enhanced its market position, enabling Nvidia to eclipse industry giants and capture the attention of investors worldwide. As of this year, the company has demonstrated unprecedented growth, which invites us to delve deeper into various key aspects that might shape its future trajectory. Pros and Cons of Investing in Nvidia Pros: 1. Superlative Market Performance: Nvidia has consistently outpaced its competitors and topped stock performance charts, indicating strong investor confidence. 2. Cutting-edge Innovations: The forthcoming Blackwell architecture exemplifies Nvidia’s commitment to leading AI and computing technologies, suggesting a promising pipeline. 3. Dimensional Market Presence: By expanding GPU applications beyond gaming into AI and other industries, Nvidia has diversified its revenue streams effectively. Cons: 1. High Valuation Concerns: The soaring valuation could make it riskier for new investors to enter the market at current price points. 2. Market Saturation and Competition: While Nvidia is a leader, increased competition and market saturation could present challenges ahead. Nvidia’s Growing Influence: Insightful Comparisons Compared to its peers, such as AMD and Intel, Nvidia has outperformed in capturing market share, particularly in AI. This surge can be partly attributed to its strategic focus on integrating advanced AI functionalities with robust GPU performance, setting Nvidia apart in terms of innovation and consumer appeal. Sustainability Initiatives: Paving the Way for a Greener Future Nvidia is not only leading in technological innovation but also in sustainability efforts. The company has been investing in energy-efficient technologies that aim to reduce environmental impact. Their new data centers and product designs reflect a commitment to a sustainable future, potentially appealing to environmentally conscious investors. Predictions for Nvidia in 2025 Many analysts predict that Nvidia will continue its upward trajectory, mainly due to its strategic positioning and ongoing R&D investments. The company plans to address a $1 trillion market opportunity related to the global demand for better computational power, especially as industries transition to more sophisticated AI systems. Security Aspects: A Robust Infrastructure Nvidia is advancing its security posture with infrastructure investments that protect data integrity and offer robust defense against potential threats. This focus on cybersecurity elevates Nvidia’s trustworthiness in deploying large-scale AI solutions. For more information and updates on Nvidia’s groundbreaking innovations, visit their official website .

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VANCOUVER - A Canadian Navy vessel with the name HMCS Protecteur will again set sail, nearly a decade after the last supply ship with its respected legacy was taken out of service. Read this article for free: Already have an account? To continue reading, please subscribe: * VANCOUVER - A Canadian Navy vessel with the name HMCS Protecteur will again set sail, nearly a decade after the last supply ship with its respected legacy was taken out of service. Read unlimited articles for free today: Already have an account? VANCOUVER – A Canadian Navy vessel with the name HMCS Protecteur will again set sail, nearly a decade after the last supply ship with its respected legacy was taken out of service. The new joint support ship — the longest naval vessel ever to be built in Canada — was launched at a rainy ceremony at shipbuilder Seaspan’s shipyards in North Vancouver, B.C., attended by dignitaries, including Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. It is the first of two joint support ships being built in British Columbia for the Canadian Navy, and Seaspan says work is “well underway” for a second vessel, the HMCS Preserver, scheduled for delivery in 2025. The previous supply ship bearing the name was taken out of service in 2015 after a crippling engine-room fire in the waters off Hawaii the year before, marking the end of service for almost 46 years in conflicts, including the Gulf War. Trudeau participated in the traditional christening ceremony on Friday, but it was HMCS Protecteur sponsor Teri McKinnon who swung and broke a bottle of champagne on the vessel after several previous attempts couldn’t smash the bottle. With the new vessel looming high over attendees, Trudeau called the launch a “historic moment,” praising workers who built the ship as an example of Canada’s greatest selling point in drawing investment globally. “In a world that is so interconnected and so filled with opportunities and good places to go, people keep choosing to come and invest in Canada,” Trudeau told the crowd in attendance. “People keep showing up because of our greatest competitive advantage — that is Canadians themselves,” he said. “Our workers are the best in the world. Smart, ambitious, driven, hard-working. They are the pitch we make when people everywhere around the world want a reliable partner.” Speaking after the ceremony, Royal Canadian Navy Commander Vice-Admiral Angus Topshee said it was an emotional day for naval officers to see the ship’s name return to the sea. Winnipeg Jets Game Days On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop. “There’s a tremendous legacy of 45 years of service of the original HMCS Protecteur, and so we’re really proud to carry on that tradition,” Topshee said. “It was tough for us to have the fire on board Protecteur, but it’s also a reminder that the business of going to sea is a difficult, risky and dangerous-at-times business. We always have to be vigilant and ready for fires or floods or other challenges at sea, let alone the threat and potential for warfare.” The Protecteur is the fifth vessel designed and constructed by Seaspan under the National Shipbuilding strategy launched in 2010. Joint support vessels such as the HMCS Protecteur supply fuel, food, water and ammunition for other navy ships, allowing them to remain at sea for extended periods of time without needing to return to port. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 13, 2024. Advertisement Advertisement

IIT-K unveils metamaterial that evades radar detectionDeep seabed mining: Bad for biodiversity and terrible for the economySenior congressional correspondent Chad Pergram reports the latest from Capitol Hill. A top Team Trump official disclosed the moment that "really set the campaign on a trajectory to victory" – the day President-elect Donald Trump arrived in Columbiana County, Ohio, to survey the East Palestine train derailment. "The ripples from that day do not get enough attention," White House communications director-designate Steven Cheung said on X, formerly Twitter, in retweeting an op-ed making that assertion. In February 2023, a Norfolk-Southern train hauling caustic industrial chemicals – including vinyl chloride – derailed in a small community near the Pennsylvania border, causing immediate chaos and long-lasting, widespread damage to the region. A controlled burn held shortly after the derailment released toxic phosgene into the air. WHISTLEBLOWER ALLEGES MISTAKES IN INITIAL EAST PALESTINE DISASTER RESPONSE Steven Cheung (inset) and Donald Trump. (Getty) On February 23 – Ash Wednesday – Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, hosted Trump at the site, where the former and future president highlighted Americans "forgotten" by President Joe Biden – who had not yet shown up and would not visit for several more months. The Republican mogul handed out "Trump"-branded water and met with local officials. Meanwhile, officials in both Ohio and Pennsylvania were also visibly working to hold the railroad accountable. In his tweet, Cheung was responding to an op-ed by Pittsburgh-based Washington Examiner writer Selina Zito, who covered the crisis at the time. Zito wrote that Trump’s arrival had happened at a political nadir for the Republican, following the 2022 midterm losses and amid a then-close presidential primary race with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. She noted in a tweet that it was Vance – his future running mate – who brought him to the site. Trump’s mantra of "you are not forgotten" to Rust Belt residents too often forgotten by Washington helped change minds in the area, Zito wrote, quoting a local resident who said she had "switched parties because of the way he spoke directly to the concerns." "I have voted for him both times since then," the woman, who owns an East Palestine farm, said. TRUMP VISITS EAST PALESTINE, HANDS OUT TRUMP-WATER: ‘WE STAND WITH YOU’ Former President Donald Trump, with Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, departs after greeting supporters and touring water pumps at Little Beaver Creek during a visit to East Palestine, Ohio. (Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post via Getty) Trump told residents that day that "in too many cases, your goodness and perseverance were met with indifference and betrayal." The disparity between Trump’s eagerness to "show up" and Biden’s apparent putting-off of a visit to East Palestine helped turn the tide in the Republican’s favor, the column continued. "100%," Cheung wrote in his tweet. Trump’s former running mate, Mike Pence, also called out Biden at the time, saying he was "AWOL" and remarking to Fox News that the Delaware Democrat’s policies had "derailed the economy of East Palestine long before that train came through." On the Pennsylvania side of the line, both Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro and his then-former gubernatorial opponent, state Sen. Doug Mastriano, R-Gettysburg, also responded quickly to the derailment. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Shapiro lodged a criminal referral at the time, and Mastriano led hearings that hosted affected residents along the Ohio border wherein Norfolk-Southern CEO Alan Shaw notably no-showed. "It is very disheartening to hear that these alleged delays and botched response approaches took place – especially since those in East Palestine, Ohio, and areas in my district here in Pennsylvania have been dealing with the aftermath of this derailment for over a year now," state Sen. Elder Vogel Jr. told Fox News Digital at the time, after a whistleblower had spoken out about alleged mistakes from Biden’s EPA response – which the agency disputed. Charles Creitz is a reporter for Fox News Digital. He joined Fox News in 2013 as a writer and production assistant. Charles covers media , politics and culture for Fox News Digital. Charles is a Pennsylvania native and graduated from Temple University with a B.A. in Broadcast Journalism. Story tips can be sent to charles.creitz@fox.com.

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By Kemberley Washington, CPA, Bankrate.com The IRS Direct File program, which lets taxpayers file their federal income tax return directly with the IRS for free, is doubling its reach to 24 states for the 2025 tax season, up from 12 states in 2024, the program’s pilot year. The Direct File program will also accept more types of tax situations for the 2025 tax season. While taxpayers who used the system in 2024 could claim a handful of tax credits, including the earned income tax credit and the child tax credit , that list is expanding in 2025 to include the child and dependent care credit , among others. Related Articles Business | The secret to making successful financial New Year’s resolutions Business | An online debate over foreign workers in tech shows tensions in Trump’s political coalition Business | Should the U.S. increase immigration levels for highly skilled workers? Business | Maryland sues maker of Gore-Tex over pollution from toxic ‘forever chemicals’ Business | US homelessness up 18% as affordable housing remains out of reach for many people An estimated 30 million taxpayers will qualify for the Direct File program in 2025, the IRS says. More than 140,000 taxpayers filed their federal tax returns through the Direct File program in 2024. About 90% of users said their experience was excellent or above average, according to a survey of about 11,000 Direct File users in 2024, conducted by the General Services Administration. “We’re excited about the improvements to Direct File and the millions more taxpayers who will be eligible to use the service this year,” said Danny Werfel, the IRS commissioner, in a statement. “Our goal is to improve the experience of tax filing itself and help taxpayers meet their obligations quickly and easily.” The IRS says that taxpayers can use Direct File when the 2025 tax season kicks off in January, and it will be available until Oct. 15, 2025. But the program’s future is somewhat unclear: In December, 29 Republican lawmakers sent a letter to President-elect Donald Trump, calling for him to end the Direct File program on his first day in office. Lawmakers in the U.S. House of Representatives also introduced legislation in July to end the Direct File program. For now, here’s what you need to know about how the IRS Direct File program works, and how to qualify for it. The Direct File program is a new initiative, about to enter its second year, that allows taxpayers to file their federal tax returns electronically with the IRS. The no-cost tool guides taxpayers through every part of their federal income tax return. Taxpayers can file using a smartphone, computer or tablet. One of the program’s advantages is that, if you have questions as you’re working on your return, you can get live support directly from the IRS via chat or phone. IRS representatives can answer basic tax questions and help with technical issues in English and Spanish. The Direct File program has income limits, as well as limits on the types of income, deductions and credits you can enter on your tax return. For the 2025 tax season: Your income must be less than $200,000 (less than $168,600 if you have more than one employer), and if you’re married filing jointly, your spouse’s income also must fall below these limits. If you’re married filing jointly, your combined income must be less than $250,000. If you’re married and file separately from your spouse, your income must be less than $125,000. To be eligible for Direct File, your income can come from the following sources: W-2 wages Social Security income Unemployment compensation Interest income Retirement income (reported on a 1099-R — limited eligibility starts March 2025) But if you’re self-employed, or have business or rental income, you can’t use Direct File . Same goes for IRA contributions or distributions: If you have either, you can’t use Direct File. You can use the IRS Direct File program only if you claim the standard deduction — the program isn’t available to people who itemize. But you can claim certain above-the-line deductions: student loan interest , educator expenses and health savings account contributions . You can’t use Direct File if you want to deduct your IRA contributions. The Direct File program allows for the following tax credits in 2025: Earned income tax credit Child tax credit Credit for other dependents Child and dependent care credit Premium tax credit Credit for the elderly or disabled Retirement savings contribution credit However, if you want to claim education credits , credits for energy efficient home upgrades or the adoption expense credit , you can’t use the Direct File program. More taxpayers will have access to the IRS Direct File program in 2025. In 2024, the IRS kicked off the program with only 12 states; that number has expanded to 24 states for the 2025 tax season. For some of the states that participate in the IRS Direct File program, your federal return information will be transferred automatically to the state tax website, but in some cases you’ll have to re-enter your information. Visit this IRS Direct File page to get the details for your state. Here is a list of the participating states: Alaska Arizona California Connecticut Florida Idaho Kansas Maine Maryland Massachusetts Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina Oregon Pennsylvania South Dakota Tennessee Texas Washington State Wisconsin Wyoming If you don’t qualify for the IRS Direct File program, you may have other options to file your tax return for free. In addition to Direct File, the IRS offers the Free File program, in which it partners with online tax software providers to provide free federal income tax return filing. Some providers also allow you to file a state income tax return. For the 2024 tax season, your adjusted gross income had to be less than $79,000 to qualify for the Free File program. That dollar threshold is likely to rise slightly for the 2025 tax season. The IRS also offers the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program, which provides certified volunteers to prepare basic tax returns if you earn less than $67,000 a year, are disabled, or speak limited English. You can find a site near you by visiting this IRS page . ©2024 Bankrate.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. 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Klubnik's 3 TD passes, DT Page's pick-6 lead No. 17 Clemson to 51-14 win over The Citadel