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."

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:

IRS Free File program at IRS.gov offers free tax software to those with adjusted gross incomes of $84,000 or less. Other free programs exist, too.

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.

The Internal Revenue Service launched a pilot program last year that allows people to file their taxes directly with the federal government for free. This project is known as Direct File and has since expanded to 25 states.

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.

The "Department of Government Efficiency" reportedly wants to create a mobile app so Americans can file their taxes for free.

The IRS Direct File program is revolutionizing tax filing for millions of Americans by offering a no-cost, streamlined process for uncomplicated returns. Despite its benefits, the program faces opposition from private tax-preparation companies and political figures.

Direct File, a system that allows people in some states to file directly with the IRS for free, is in fact still available, despite Musk posting cryptic messages on his social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter.