No, Elon Musk Didn’t End the Free Direct File Tax Filing Program

Elon Musk caused quite a stir Monday night when he claimed that the office responsible for the IRS’ Direct File tax return filing program had been “deleted,” though it seems the program is still available — for now.

Musk, the CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, among other companies, has emerged as a close adviser to President Donald Trump, who appointed the businessman to head up the Department of Government Efficiency — or DOGE — a freewheeling organization focused on cutting federal programs and spending. Taking to his X platform (formerly Twitter) on Monday night, Musk responded to a post from a right-wing influencer touching on the Direct File program, stating that it had been ended.

“That group has been deleted,” Musk wrote, without elaboration.

The potential disruption to tax filing, among many other federal programs, comes just as Americans are turning their attention to tax matters. The IRS started accepting tax returns last week and will continue to accept them through the traditional April 15 for most filers.

Whatever Musk and DOGE may be doing, Direct File remains available via its official IRS webpage for residents of the 25 states where it has been rolled out so far. While it is unclear what might happen to the service in the near future, an IRS representative responding to an inquiry from CNET said that tax returns already submitted through Direct File will be treated like any other return and shouldn’t be impacted by any changes to the program.

What is Direct File?

Direct File was first rolled out by the IRS in 2024 in 12 states as a service allowing taxpayers to file their annual returns directly to the agency for free, an extension of the earlier but less fleshed out Free File service. Musk’s claim about doing away with the program raised concern and confusion for many, as the service had been well-received overall.

The program was also expanded for 2025, with new features and availability in 25 states. Whether or not it will be available by the end of tax season remains to be seen.

The Trump administration’s moves, including an indefinite hiring freeze at the IRS, have prompted concerns about whether tax return processing will be slowed down this year, but these worries appear to be unfounded for the time being.

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