A key operative from DOGE initiated plans to potentially kill Direct File, the free tax filing tool developed by the IRS, after offering assurances it would be spared from cuts.
  • greenfire@lemmings.worldEnglish
    10·
    16 days ago

    When the so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) arrived at the Internal Revenue Service earlier this year, leaders of the group reassured workers that the agency’s free tax filing tool, Direct File, would be spared from cuts. But only a few days after meeting with tax software lobbyists, the beloved tool was placed on the chopping block, multiple sources familiar tell WIRED. The plans to potentially kill Direct File, the free tax filing tool developed by the IRS which services 25 states, was initiated by Sam Corcos, CEO of an Andreessen Horowitz–backed health startup that has ties to SpaceX. Corcos’ suggestion to cut the popular service was presented to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent in the beginning of March, multiple sources familiar say. The weekend before Corcos suggested ending Direct File, he spoke of it positively to IRS engineers. By Friday, he had changed his tune. As sources WIRED spoke to understand it, Direct File would remain online through the 2025 tax filing season but would likely be dead by next year.

  • ileftreddit@piefed.socialEnglish
    71·
    16 days ago

    Wait, DOGE still exists?! I thought it was understood to be a completely illegal power grab by the executive

  • ThePowerOfGeek@lemmy.worldEnglish
    4·
    16 days ago

    Didn’t sometime leak the source code to the government tax filing software, with the intent of making it open source? It’s not an ideal solution, but if that is a viable solution (and if it’s maintained properly) then that’s a pretty big nose-thumbing at these curious government officials.

    • thevoidzero@lemmy.world
      6·
      16 days ago

      Problem I think is the API from the IRS being closed. You could still maybe use it generate pdfs and send it, but the tool allowed you to just click send. And also, no more updates from the official source could mean they get to change a few rules and make it obsolete. We could keep it up with a bunch of volunteers, but unlike other open source projects, this has a serious legal aspect that people might not be willing to take a risk.