Direct File allows some taxpayers to file their returns online directly with the IRS for no cost and is available to about half the country.

It depends on how you file your taxes and how you choose to receive your refund. If you file electronically and your return is accurate and complete, the IRS says it should take less than three weeks to receive your refund and even less time if you choose direct deposit.

The recently ordered hiring freeze at the IRS might have you worried about what will happen to your tax return. This filing method will speed up the process.