This year, however, taxpayers have more options than ever to avoid that expense.   Or . . . maybe not. The most noteworthy new program for free tax-prep, IRS Direct File, came under fire this week from Elon Musk,

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

Direct File, which allows taxpayers to file their tax returns directly with the federal government, was launched as a pilot program in 12 states during the 2024 tax season.