Elon Musk creates confusion about IRS' Direct File - but the free tax program is still available

Elon Musk's recent tweet claimed that 18F, a government agency working on the IRS' Direct File project, was deleted, causing confusion over the program's availability. However, sources within the IRS indicated that the Direct File program continues to function and accept tax returns for the upcoming tax season. The IRS aims to implement a permanent free e-filing system by 2025, which has faced pushback from private tax preparation firms. Nonetheless, many organizations currently offer free tax preparation assistance, particularly for low-income individuals.

While Musk's tweet suggested that workers had been eliminated, the Direct File program is still operational and accepting tax returns for the upcoming tax season.

Despite some confusion sparked by Elon Musk's claim about the 18F agency, IRS insiders confirmed that the Direct File option for free electronic filing is still available.

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