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.

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.

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:

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.

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

Eligible Americans can now file their taxes using IRS Direct File, which allows taxpayers in 25 states, including New York, to file their federal taxes directly with the IRS for free.

The Tesla CEO caused a stir after claiming the program, which allows Americans to file their taxes straight to the IRS, had been "deleted."

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.