2 weeks Ago By Jack Phillips
The White House this week said that the Internal Revenue Service’s (IRS) free Direct File tool is still online amid speculation that it was taken down. Earlier this week, Elon Musk wrote on social media platform X that the 18F government agency that worked on projects such as Direct File was “deleted,” sparking concern that the program was scrapped. The IRS announced last year that it would make the free electronic tax return filing system permanent and asked all 50 states and the District of Columbia to help taxpayers file their returns through the program in 2025.
That prompted several messages from White House press officials, who disputed the claim that the Direct File service was removed. Last May, the IRS announced it would make the Direct File program permanent. It is now available in 25 states, up from 12 states that were part of last year’s pilot program.
The program allows people in some states with very simple W-2s to calculate and submit their returns directly to the IRS. Those using the pilot program in 2024 claimed more than $90 million in refunds, the IRS said in October. During his confirmation hearing Jan.
16, Scott Bessent, now treasury secretary, committed to maintaining the Direct File program at least for the 2025 tax season, which began Jan. 27..
