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:

Elon Musk posted that the IRS Direct File group had been "deleted," prompting confusion about the free tax prep service's future.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.