Friday’s Business Headlines

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Here is a look at Friday’s business headlines with Jane King.

IRS to expand free tax filing program in 2025

The Internal Revenue Service will expand Direct File, its free tax filing program nationwide starting in 2025.

More than 140,000 users successfully filed returns using Direct File during the 2024 tax season. The program saved an estimated $5.6 million in tax preparation fees.

The pilot focused on simple filings, but the IRS will share more on the details later this year.

FAA versus Boeing

The Federal Aviation Administration won’t approve Boeing to increase its 737 Max production for several months.

The FAA in February gave Boeing 90 days to come up with a quality improvement plan in the wake of a door plug incident on an Alaska Airlines flight in January.

Boeing’s CEO says the company has received more than 30,000 comments on how the company can improve.

Moderna races towards a bird flu vaccine

Moderna has confirmed the U.S. government is nearing a deal to fund its late-stage trial of a Bird Flu vaccine. The U.S. government is reportedly in discussions with Pfizer as well.

Most Bird Flu cases are found in livestock workers who are in close proximity to infected poultry or cattle.

Survey: Most Americans believe fast food is a luxury

Fast food used to be known as a cheap quick meal. According to survey done by LendingTree, a North Carolina based company, 78% of Americans now think of fast food as a luxury.

A significant number of people are starting to cut back on Big Macs and Chalupas due to the higher prices. Two-thirds of those in the survey say they have been shocked by their recent fast-food bill.

This has resulted in a big cultural shift that is the result of higher inflation.