How the Maker of TurboTax Fought Free, Simple Tax Filing (2013)
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Re: How the Maker of TurboTax Fought Free, Simple Tax Filing (2013)
#2I have a better idea. Simplify the tax code so anyone can do theirs on an index card. There is absolutely no reason for the gargantuan tax code in a free society.
Re: How the Maker of TurboTax Fought Free, Simple Tax Filing (2013)
#3the deep cynicism here is how people think Turbo tax is doing a pubic service by making taxes easier and cheaper, that's how effective their marketing is. Convince the public there is a problem that only said company can solve.
Re: How the Maker of TurboTax Fought Free, Simple Tax Filing (2013)
#4I have a better idea. Simplify the tax code so anyone can do theirs on an index card. There is absolutely no reason for the gargantuan tax code in a free society.
Not that I believe you think it is, but this isn't exactly a startling new idea.
The same forces described in the article are also responsible for lobbying against simplicity in general.
There is a whole giant industry that would go away in a puff of smoke (or at least be drastically reduced) if individual taxes weren't unnecessarily complex.
Re: How the Maker of TurboTax Fought Free, Simple Tax Filing (2013)
#5well, of course. imagine you are a business and the govmt could change a law and put you out of business. wouldn't you put as much money as you could into preventing that change?
this is why money in politics causes problems...
Re: How the Maker of TurboTax Fought Free, Simple Tax Filing (2013)
#6I have a better idea. Simplify the tax code so anyone can do theirs on an index card. There is absolutely no reason for the gargantuan tax code in a free society.
The problem is that every individual provision is popular with one group or another.
But we could move to a system like the UK has where taxes are calculated for you and if you don't have contractor income you don't even need to file. But this would need changes to things like the Married Filing Jointly status.
Re: How the Maker of TurboTax Fought Free, Simple Tax Filing (2013)
#7I have a better idea. Simplify the tax code so anyone can do theirs on an index card. There is absolutely no reason for the gargantuan tax code in a free society.
Great idea in theory, but hard to implement. Tax breaks were often created for a reason. Take them away, and that special interest group will try to protect it and lobby to keep it in place.
Re: How the Maker of TurboTax Fought Free, Simple Tax Filing (2013)
#8I have a better idea. Simplify the tax code so anyone can do theirs on an index card. There is absolutely no reason for the gargantuan tax code in a free society.
Not that I believe you think it is, but this isn't exactly a startling new idea. The same forces described in the article are also responsible for lobbying against simplicity in general. There is a whole giant industry that would go away in a puff of smoke (or at least be drastically reduced) if individual taxes weren't unnecessarily complex.
Also, everyone wants a simpler tax code except for the parts that benefit them. Few economists think the mortgage interest deduction is a good idea, but try telling that to homeowners.
Re: How the Maker of TurboTax Fought Free, Simple Tax Filing (2013)
#9well, of course. imagine you are a business and the govmt could change a law and put you out of business. wouldn't you put as much money as you could into preventing that change? this is why money in politics causes problems...
Same old same old: show me a doctor who doesn't want you to be sick. Show me a lawyer who doesn't want you to get in trouble with law. Show me a priest who doesn't want you to sin.
It just blows my mind up to what degree TurboTax will go with this!
Re: How the Maker of TurboTax Fought Free, Simple Tax Filing (2013)
#10I have a better idea. Simplify the tax code so anyone can do theirs on an index card. There is absolutely no reason for the gargantuan tax code in a free society.
>Simplify the tax code so anyone can do theirs on an index card.
Aim higher.
In the UK, your employer informs the government about your wages and HMRC figures out how much you paid and whether it's the correct amount. And if you want you can check the numbers.
In other countries it's basically the same but you have to log into the e-government portal to click 'yes, the values you have are correct'.
Obviously if your finances are more complicated then you need to file; but it's not very difficult.