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

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.

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:

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

Filers with Adjusted Gross Income, known as AGI, of less than $84,000 can use IRS Free File to complete returns at no charge. Free File offers tax preparation software from eight companies and gives free online access to preparation and filing software.

Billionaire tech mogul Elon Musk posted Monday on his social media site that he had “deleted” 18F, a government agency that worked on technology projects such as the IRS’ Direct File program. This led to some confusion about whether Direct File is still available to taxpayers,

Amid the Trump administration’s sweeping and at times chaotic campaign to shrink the size of government and trim head count, a segment of the federal workforce that is critical this time of year is being told they have to stay on the job: the IRS staffers who support the tax-filing process.