Elon Musk creates confusion around the IRS ‘direct file – but the free tax program is still available

Washington (AP) – Billionaire Tech Mogul Elon Musk posted on Monday on his social media site that he had “deleted” 18F, a government agency that worked with technology projects such as IRS ‘direct file program. This led to some confusion about whether direct file is still available to taxpayers, but the free filing program is still available, at least for the upcoming tax season.

While Musk’s tweet may have intimized that the group of workers had been removed, a person with knowledge of the IRS workforce said that the direct file program was still accepting tax returns. The individual spoke anonymously with Associated Press because they were not authorized to talk to the press.

From Monday night, the 18F’s web site was still operational, just like the direct Filesbsted. But the Digital Services Agency’s X account was deleted.

The IRS advertised Last year that it will make it free Electronic tax return filing system Permanently and asked all 50 states and District of Columbia to help taxpayers to archive their returns through the program in 2025.

The direct file trial began in March 2024. But the IRS has face intense blowback to direct file from private tax preparation companies that have earned billions from charging people to using their software and has spent millions Lobbying Congress. The average American typically spends about $ 140 preparing for their returns every year.

Commercial tax preparation companies that have lobbyed towards the development of the free file program say there are already free file settings.

Several organizations, including private tax companies, offer free online tax preparation aid to taxpayers under certain income limits. Fillable forms are available online on the IRS site, but they are complicated and taxpayers still have to calculate their tax liability.

Last May, the IRS announced that it would make it direct file program permanently. It is now available in 25 states, up from 12 states that were part of last year’s pilot program.

The program gives people in some states with very simple W-2s to calculate and submit their returns directly to the IRS. Those who used the pilot program in 2024 demanded more than $ 90 million in a refund, the IRS said in October.

During his confirmation hearing 16 January, Scott BessentNow Treasury Secretary, obliged to maintain the direct file program at least for the tax season 2025, which began January 27th.

Musk replied to a post by an X user who called 18F “far to the left” and mouseed the direct file “puts the responsible government” to prepare people’s taxes.

“This group has been deleted,” Musk wrote.