IRS Direct File is back again this year with significantly expanded eligibility despite confusion over whether Elon Musk had “deleted” it. (He didn’t.)

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.

Eligible Americans can now file their taxes using IRS Direct File, which allows taxpayers in 25 states, including New York, to file their federal taxes directly with the IRS 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.

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.

Elon Musk, head of the chaos-causing Department of Government Efficiency, made an assertion this week that raised questions in some people’s minds about the status of the IRS Direct File program. That program enables tax filers in 25 states,

Billionaire Elon Musk posted on his social media site that he had “deleted” 18F, an agency that worked on the IRS’ Direct File program.

This should be a banner year for taxpayers seeking free tax-preparation. But one key IRS program is under fire.