Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Congress Is About to Ban the US Government from Offering Free Online Tax Filing

propublica.org

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

1–10 of 717 posts

Re: Congress Is About to Ban the US Government from Offering Free Online Tax Filing

#4

Post by danso »

Brendinooo wrote: post #3

Headline is a bit misleading: The IRS does not currently offer free online tax filing, and bipartisan Congressional leaders are seeking to codify this status quo.

Here's the summary of Sec 1102, as linked to from the Ways & Means Committee's homepage:

https://waysandmeans.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/w...

> Sec. 1102. IRS Free File Program. The IRS currently works with electronic tax preparation services to provide free tax preparation software and electronically fillable forms. This program is known as the IRS Free File program. Generally, there is no fee for taxpayers using the Free File program provided they meet certain income thresholds. This provision codifies the existing Free File program and requires the IRS to continue to work with private stakeholders to maintain, improve, and expand the program. The provision also requires Free File program members to continue to provide basic fillable forms to all taxpayers. This provision is estimated to have no revenue impact over the 10-year budget window.

Re: Congress Is About to Ban the US Government from Offering Free Online Tax Filing

#6

Post by KingMachiavelli »

danso wrote: post #4
Brendinooo wrote: post #3

Headline is a bit misleading: The IRS does not currently offer free online tax filing, and bipartisan Congressional leaders are seeking to codify this status quo.

Here's the summary of Sec 1102, as linked to from the Ways & Means Committee's homepage: https://waysandmeans.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/w... > Sec. 1102. IRS Free File Program. The IRS currently works with electronic tax preparation services to provide free tax preparation software and electronically fillable forms. This program is known as the IRS Free File program. Generally, there is no fee for taxpaye…

There's an income requirements and, at least in practice, you cannot be file 1099-MISCs which means you cannot be 'self employed' which is becoming more and more common (insert buzzphrase here) independent of actual income.

Unfortunately, the people most effected by this bill are likely too busy working to afford the time to contact their representatives.

Re: Congress Is About to Ban the US Government from Offering Free Online Tax Filing

#7

Post by cascom »

What propublica left out:

To be clear the Intuit’s of the world are not acting altruistically, however they’ve created an odd alliance with anti-tax advocates who 1. Think that any government provided system will favor the government over tax-payers and make it easier to sneak in stealth tax changes and 2. The anti-tax lobby cynically (and correctly) understands that in order to keep taxes unpopular, making them painful is useful.

Re: Congress Is About to Ban the US Government from Offering Free Online Tax Filing

#8

Post by xbryanx »

This is pure anecdote, but...

A NOAA employee told me about the time their boss caught holy hell from a Senator because the NWS had the gall to update a particular weather product they offered by adding color to the map. Evidently someone had a business essentially downloading the free NOAA data and improving it by coloring the maps and selling that as a product. When NOAA made it free, they called their Senator in anger. And said Senator slapped NOAA's wrist.

Seems like the same school of thought in a much bigger market.

Re: Congress Is About to Ban the US Government from Offering Free Online Tax Filing

#9

Post by purple-again »

This is deeply frustrating. I can not tell you how many people I see paying $200-300 for some random "tax preparer" set up in a corner mall or the front of a WalMart simply because they do not understand there are a number of free resources that would prepare their 1040EZ for them at their income/complexity level.

These same people get back a $1500 "return" so they think they are getting a good deal. Its pure greed and theft from some of the most needy members of our society. Absolute shame on everyone involved in this process.

Re: Congress Is About to Ban the US Government from Offering Free Online Tax Filing

#10

Post by komali2 »

cascom wrote: post #7

What propublica left out: To be clear the Intuit’s of the world are not acting altruistically, however they’ve created an odd alliance with anti-tax advocates who 1. Think that any government provided system will favor the government over tax-payers and make it easier to sneak in stealth tax changes and 2. The anti-tax lobby cynically (and correctly) understands that in order to keep taxes unpopular, making them pain…

>sneak in stealth tax changes

I don't think we exist in a world where this is possible.

Post reply on HN