They claim it was successful this year, and next year there will be no limit on the number of states that can participate in IRS direct file. This is starting off just like the e-file program. E-file was optional at first,and they could never get over 50% of people to use it, so they mandated it. They claimed by mandating efile, it would free up IRS resources, and they would be more efficient and helpful and so forth. How did that work out? They'll  eventually make the direct file program mandatory, Just watch and see.