this post was submitted on 04 Feb 2025
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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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[–] Empricorn@feddit.nl 17 points 13 hours ago* (last edited 11 hours ago)

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

[–] TheFunkyPickle@lemmy.zip 16 points 15 hours ago* (last edited 15 hours ago)

I love turbo tax and intuit. They're my favorite companies. I hope I can give more money to the IRS via intuit and hrblock. Thank you, Elongated Muskrat, you've truly saved America.

[–] SocialMediaRefugee@lemmy.world 6 points 15 hours ago* (last edited 15 hours ago)

Haha! Joke's on them, people are so broke most just use the Form 1040 or Form 1040-SR (replaced 1040EZ) forms.

[–] Honytawk@lemmy.zip 46 points 1 day ago (1 children)

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 5 points 15 hours ago (2 children)

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 3 points 15 hours ago

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

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[–] MITM0@lemmy.world 47 points 1 day ago (1 children)
[–] floofloof@lemmy.ca 22 points 1 day ago (2 children)

I'm not sure he can do anything well.

[–] skuzz@discuss.tchncs.de 4 points 15 hours ago* (last edited 15 hours ago)

That's often the case with ~~CEOs~~ despots. They're more showmen/cheerleaders that people want to undress with their stonks. Otherwise, just talentless hacks that get paid too much money.

[–] Epp2@lemmynsfw.com 14 points 1 day ago (4 children)

Except Nazi salutes. That arm thrust was chock full of intent and came straight from the heart!

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[–] ricketyrackets@lemmy.ml 64 points 1 day ago (1 children)

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

[–] AbsoluteChicagoDog@lemm.ee 15 points 1 day ago (2 children)

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 1 day ago (2 children)

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 15 hours ago

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

[–] LandedGentry@lemmy.zip 1 points 13 hours ago* (last edited 13 hours ago)

If I was in the IT department I would be scrambling to get backups out the door to responsible parties

[–] edg@lemmy.world 45 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Arrest his ass and lock him away for life!

[–] NikkiDimes@lemmy.world 19 points 1 day ago (1 children)

We can buy rope at Home Depot.

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[–] mohammed_alibi@lemmy.world 35 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Deport this asshole back to South Africa

[–] NikkiDimes@lemmy.world 23 points 1 day ago (6 children)

Unfortunately, he's now an American citizen. Fortunately, we have treason charges for this kind of thing :).

[–] bitjunkie@lemmy.world 3 points 15 hours ago (1 children)

But I thought Trump already got rid of birthright citizenship?

[–] NikkiDimes@lemmy.world 2 points 14 hours ago* (last edited 14 hours ago)

He doesn't have citizenship through birthright. That would be if his mom gave birth to him in the US while she lacked citizenship of her own, no? He just went through the standard naturalization process (allegedly)

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[–] carpelbridgesyndrome@sh.itjust.works 16 points 1 day ago (1 children)

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

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[–] Cocodapuf@lemmy.world 34 points 1 day ago (2 children)

Really increasing efficiency there. You know... efficiency aside, making it easier to file taxes is one of the very few things that can actually make more money!

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[–] perestroika@lemm.ee 42 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (10 children)

A right-wing MAGA influencer called the "direct file" tax program a "far left /.../

Here in Estonia, the castle of "far left" in Europe (shh, don't spoil the joke, comrades, we want them to think we're dark red here ;) )...

...for something like 15 years already, you file your taxes like this:

  • some day in February, your internet bank reminds you to send a report to the tax office
  • you click "send"
  • some day in February, you read in a newspaper that "you can file your taxes now"
  • you open up emta.ee, log in with your ID card, and see a pre-filled declaration
  • if you're lucky (99% are), it's been filled correctly and you click "confirm", otherwise you click "edit"
  • you get to see if you have returns or need to pay extra
  • if you have returns, you can choose if you want the money (typically if it's big, you do) or want to donate the small change to a non-profit

It typically takes about 15 minutes.

If it's a bad year and the automatically filled declaration was incorrect, things will differ of course - then you wait until next winter for a court to resolve the dispute. If you can write a complaint in legalese, it costs about 20 €, but if you need a lawyer, you shell out real money. I've had a bad year once. Most people never have one.

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[–] Carvex@lemmy.world 251 points 1 day ago (24 children)

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

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[–] NotMyOldRedditName@lemmy.world 77 points 1 day ago (9 children)

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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[–] SoftestSapphic@lemmy.world 62 points 1 day ago (10 children)

Nothing will meaningfully improve until the rich fear for their lives

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[–] DarkFuture@lemmy.world 86 points 1 day ago (2 children)

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

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[–] atzanteol@sh.itjust.works 166 points 1 day ago (13 children)

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.

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[–] SocialMediaRefugee@lemmy.world 104 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (8 children)

How the hell does this lower costs?

right-wing influencer criticizing the program as government overreach.

So the right is against self-service now? wtf

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[–] Carl@lemm.ee 8 points 1 day ago (1 children)

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 1 day ago (4 children)

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

[–] andros_rex@lemmy.world 3 points 14 hours 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 15 hours ago

Stop assuming they actually mean well.

[–] Coskii@lemmy.blahaj.zone 11 points 23 hours 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.

[–] Mongostein@lemmy.ca 12 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Because Quickbooks and TurboTax or whatever wouldn’t be able to charge you out the ass

[–] Carl@lemm.ee 2 points 11 hours ago

This pretty much. The IRS already knows how much you've paid them and can easily calculate how much you probably owe - they could easily switch to a system where they just send you a check/bill at the end of the year depending on the balance and that you only would have to file if you have a special tax situation, but they won't as long as tax filing is an industry.

[–] dan1101@lemm.ee 28 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Is he heavily invested in TurboTax or something?

[–] SGG@lemmy.world 15 points 1 day ago

He's invested in suffering and making a profit. So yes.

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