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submitted 1 week ago by floofloof@lemmy.ca to c/news@lemmy.world

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/25117460

Summary

Elon Musk claimed on X that he eliminated the IRS team responsible for the "Direct File" program, which allows Americans to file taxes online for free.

His statement came in response to a right-wing influencer criticizing the program as government overreach.

However, the Treasury Department confirms that the Direct File system remains active, offering free tax filing with customer support.

The program, available in English and Spanish, is optional, allowing taxpayers to choose between using it or filing their taxes manually.

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[-] Honytawk@lemmy.zip 46 points 6 days ago

According to Forbes, the only thing he actually deleted was the 18F's (group that created Direct File) Xitter account. Lol

https://www.forbes.com/sites/kellyphillipserb/2025/02/04/irs-direct-file-still-working-this-tax-season-despite-musks-comments/

Really Musky of him to confuse the 2

[-] bitjunkie@lemmy.world 6 points 6 days ago

I mean his social media obsession was what really showed behind the curtain of his fraying sanity the past few years, so I'm not especially surprised that he can't seem to distinguish between a Twitter account and real life.

[-] tempest@lemmy.ca 4 points 6 days ago

If he and Trump have one thing in common it's thin skin and being terminally online

[-] Empricorn@feddit.nl 26 points 6 days ago* (last edited 6 days ago)

This unelected fascist has no authority. Fuck him. Ignore him and refuse access...

I'd bet good money he's never done his own taxes in his life

[-] febra@lemmy.world 5 points 6 days ago

No, but he did do our taxes. Billionaires love government handouts after all.

There's a term for this: entrapment.

[-] Carl@lemm.ee 8 points 6 days ago

Used free file myself and it works great, if you haven't filed your taxes yet this year better do it fast before the site gets taken down!

[-] echodot@feddit.uk 7 points 6 days ago

Why on Earth would the US government want it to be difficult for its citizens to file taxes. Surely they want the taxes.

[-] Coskii 11 points 6 days ago

For most middle and low income families 'filing taxes' is how they get the amount they overpaid returned. If they cannot then the government keeps the extra.

[-] andros_rex@lemmy.world 3 points 6 days ago

The complicated system means that there are lots of legal loopholes for wealthy people who can afford accountants. The billionaire I knew had it down exactly he how much he needed to to give to a charity, how to play games with moving money between family members…

On the other hand, because it is so complicated, lower class people working multiple shit jobs have to run through hoops and thus probably don’t get the refunds they’ve earned.

[-] bitjunkie@lemmy.world 2 points 6 days ago

Stop assuming they actually mean well.

[-] Carvex@lemmy.world 245 points 1 week ago

I think I'll skip paying taxes this year, my religion states I cannot support terrorist groups.

[-] atzanteol@sh.itjust.works 162 points 1 week ago

His statement came in response to a right-wing influencer criticizing the program as government overreach.

... HOW????? This movement simply has no real agenda or philosophy - they just want to burn everything down.

[-] lost_faith@lemmy.ca 97 points 1 week ago

This movement simply has no real agenda or philosophy - they just want to burn everything down.

That is the agenda

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[-] DarkFuture@lemmy.world 83 points 1 week ago

The sooner average Americans realize that these people are America's enemies, the sooner we can do something about it.

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[-] LadyAutumn 75 points 1 week ago

Cruelty is the point. The goal is to make the lives of impoverished people harder.

[-] merc@sh.itjust.works 2 points 6 days ago

That's never the point. The point is power, wealth, influence, remaking the world into one they like better. They're stepping on poor people to get there.

[-] NotMyOldRedditName@lemmy.world 73 points 1 week ago

You'd think that if DOGE was really DOGE that this is the exact kind of thing they'd double down on and make really good, saving everyone shit load of money.

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[-] Buffalox@lemmy.world 66 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

In Denmark We've had easy tax filing on the Internet for more than a decade, and before that it was also extremely easy, as we got a form with all the usual data filled out, and we only had to send in if we had changes. I haven't done my taxes for 30 years!!!
Except when we bought a house we've had a few tax deductions on energy saving changes, which took 2 minutes to enter.

Every piece of standard information is collected automatically, like wages, bank info, stock profits, real estate taxes, and the rest if you have anything additional is super easy to fill out. The old paper tax return form is AFAIK completely abandoned since more than a decade ago.

USA under Trump with Elron Musk making it even worse is what we would call working like monkeys in a cage. If they really end this program, it makes it more difficult to do your taxes, AND cost tax payers MORE!!

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[-] SoftestSapphic@lemmy.world 64 points 1 week ago

Nothing will meaningfully improve until the rich fear for their lives

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[-] ricketyrackets@lemmy.ml 61 points 1 week ago

I love it when Nazi African fascists take control of the American monetary system.

[-] AbsoluteChicagoDog@lemm.ee 14 points 6 days ago

How does he do this stuff? It's not like he's personally logging into the server and shutting down the website.

[-] echodot@feddit.uk 6 points 6 days ago

Presumably he just directs other people to do things.

If I was in the IT department I would already be looking for a new job, and I would just tell him that I'd done it, it's not like he's going to check. Although in this case it seems more a situation where he's just running his mouth.

[-] prettybunnys@sh.itjust.works 2 points 6 days ago

Lots of DR drills gonna be strained to their limits I’m betting

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this post was submitted on 04 Feb 2025
995 points (100.0% liked)

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