IRS tax filing could be upended for millions of Americans: What to know
Tech billionaire Elon Musk has caused confusion after he claimed that a government agency that worked on technology projects such as the Internal Revenue Service’s Direct File program has been “deleted”.
Why It Matters
Musk, who has been designated a “special government employee,” was appointed by President Donald Trump to head the unofficial Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). According to its website, DOGE has been created to “decentralize the narrative around government spending, giving power back to the people to hold government entities accountable for their financial decisions.”
Since Trump’s inauguration on January 20, Musk has helped stall USAID operations with his team having accessed classified data, he has identified government workers for layoffs and taken control of the payment system managing trillions in expenditures. As the tech mogul is working without congressional oversight, his actions have raised concerns about his authority and a potential constitutional crisis.
The Direct File program was launched to benefit over 30 million taxpayers and prompted a backlash from commercial tax prep firms who lobbied against it. If ended, taxpayers from eligible states could be forced to go private if they are above a certain income threshold.
Stock image/file photo: A sign marks the entrance to the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS) headquarters building on September 15, 2024, in Washington, DC. Inset: Elon Musk arrives for the inauguration of U.S. President-elect Donald…
Stock image/file photo: A sign marks the entrance to the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS) headquarters building on September 15, 2024, in Washington, DC. Inset: Elon Musk arrives for the inauguration of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda on January 20, 2025, in Washington, DC.
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J. David Ake/Kenny Holston/GETTY
What To Know
18F is a team of designers, software engineers, strategists, and product managers within the General Services Administration. It works with government agencies to “fix technical problems, build products, and improve public service through technology,” and helped build the Direct File program for the IRS.
Direct File was launched in 2024 to help Americans file their tax returns completely free of charge. It has been expanded for the 2025 tax season to accept more states.
Writing on his social media site X, formerly Twitter, Musk said “that group has been deleted” in response to another user’s post claiming, without evidence, that 18F is a “far left” organization. They also said Direct File “puts the government in charge” of preparing people’s taxes.
The Direct File website is still live, as is the website for 18F – but its X account is no longer active. Newsweek has contacted the General Services Administration via email for comment outside of regular working hours.
It is not clear if Musk’s post means that the group of workers has been dismissed or whether he is possibly referencing the deletion of its X account.
What Is Direct File?
The IRS launched its Direct File pilot in 12 U.S. states in March 2024, which has now been expanded to 25 states. It allows taxpayers to submit simple tax returns directly with the government agency completely free of charge, eliminating the need to use a paid-for third-party provider.
You can use Direct File for your federal taxes if you lived and worked in these states for all of 2024:
- Alaska
- Arizona
- California
- Connecticut
- Florida
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Kansas
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Washington state
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
Is Direct File Still Available?
An anonymous source familiar with the IRS workforce told the Associated Press that the Direct File program is continuing to accept tax returns. Newsweek has contacted the IRS for confirmation via email outside of regular working hours.
During his January 16 confirmation hearing, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Direct File would be in place for the 2025 tax season.
This article was originally published by a www.newsweek.com . Read the Original article here. .