In early February 2025, claims emerged that the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) led by Elon Musk, had terminated, or planned to terminate, a program — Direct File — run by the IRS that allows (some) citizens to file individual tax returns for free:

Tax season can be stressful from gathering all the required documents to finding a trusted place to file. Here are some options for filing for free.

An "enhanced" version of the IRS' Direct File program launched this year, with availability in roughly twice as many states as last year.

Billionaire tech mogul Elon Musk posted on his social media site that he has “deleted” 18F, a government agency that worked on technology projects such as the IRS's Direct File program.

Though some social media users interpreted Elon Musk's X post as meaning the service was closed, its website remained active as of Feb. 7.

There was widespread confusion after the Tesla CEO claimed the program, which allows Americans to file their taxes straight to the IRS, had been "deleted."

The Internal Revenue Service is accepting tax returns for tax season 2025, including through the expanded Direct File program. Why it matters: There's been some confusion on the status of the free online tax-filing program after Elon Musk posted on X Monday that he had "deleted" 18F,

Elon Musk posted that the IRS Direct File group had been "deleted," prompting confusion about the free tax prep service's future.

The IRS’ free tax-preparation program remains a free option for taxpayers this year, but the fate of a group of government technologists that helped develop it is less certain.

Direct File, which allows taxpayers to file their tax returns directly with the federal government, was launched as a pilot program in 12 states during the 2024 tax season.

The Internal Revenue Service reminds taxpayers in Arizona that they can file their taxes quickly, easily and for free directly with the agency using IRS Direct File.