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Tech billionaire Elon Musk caused a stir on social media Monday when he claimed to have “deleted” 18F, a government agency involved in technology initiatives like the IRS’ Direct File program. His statement led to confusion about the program’s availability, but the free tax filing service remains accessible for the upcoming tax season.
Despite Musk’s remarks, an individual familiar with the IRS workforce confirmed that Direct File is still accepting tax returns. Speaking anonymously to The Associated Press, the source clarified that the program remains operational.
As of Monday evening, the official websites for both 18F and Direct File were still active, although 18F’s account on X (formerly Twitter) had been deleted.
The IRS previously announced that Direct File would be made a permanent option for taxpayers, inviting all 50 states and the District of Columbia to participate in 2025. The program, which began as a pilot in March 2024, faced opposition from private tax preparation companies that have profited from paid tax-filing services and have lobbied against the initiative. The average American spends roughly $140 on tax preparation each year.
Although some commercial tax firms argue that free filing options already exist, many of these services have strict income limits or require users to manually calculate their tax liability.
In May 2024, the IRS confirmed its commitment to making Direct File permanent, expanding its availability to 25 states—up from 12 in the initial pilot. The program allows taxpayers with simple W-2 income to file directly with the IRS, with users in 2024 claiming over $90 million in refunds.
During his confirmation hearing on January 16, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent reaffirmed that the Direct File program will remain available for at least the 2025 tax season, which officially began on January 27.
Musk’s comments came in response to an X user who criticized 18F as “far left” and suggested that Direct File puts the government in control of tax preparation. In his reply, Musk stated, “That group has been deleted,” fueling speculation but not affecting the program’s current operations.
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