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IRS Reforms Free File Program, Drops Agreement Not to Compete with TurboTax

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Re: IRS Reforms Free File Program, Drops Agreement Not to Compete with TurboTax

#201

Post by [deleted] »

marcrosoft wrote: post #164
alistairSH wrote: post #67

In the US, we've had decades of (largely GOP) messaging that the government can't do anything properly. A substantial portion of the population believes it. As noted in a sibling comment, the IRS could pre-fill forms that would be correct for the vast majority of tax payers (who take the standard deduction/don't itemize, have a single job, and no other edge cases). These people should not be paying TurboTax either wa…

> messaging that the government can't do anything properly I would love to hear about things the government has done exceptionally better than private companies. Please go on.

[deleted]

Re: IRS Reforms Free File Program, Drops Agreement Not to Compete with TurboTax

#202

Post by joshstrange »

aidenn0 wrote: post #178
hanniabu wrote: post #79

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Voting matters Gerrymandering and voter purging matters

FWIW, The GOP control of the senate is clearly not due to gerrymandering, or at least not any gerrymandering that happened in the past 100 years. I think gerrymandering is an issue, but it's only a fraction of the reason why representation is not particularly proportional.

> or at least not any gerrymandering that happened in the past 100 years.

This is the /very/ important distinction. Our entire country was gerrymandered when they gave every state 2 votes in the senate. It's truly crazy how few Americans can sway the makeup of the senate/house/EC.

Edit: removed "(and 3 base in the house)" because that's not correct, I was mixing it up with the EC in my head.

Re: IRS Reforms Free File Program, Drops Agreement Not to Compete with TurboTax

#203

Post by nix0n »

jakear wrote: post #187
nix0n wrote: post #170

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Healthcare comes to mind since we're discussing US politics. Roads might be the canonical example but I'm not familiar with any examples of privatized roads.

Toll Roads? Generally better maintained and provide a shorter pat for a small but willing-to-pay segment of the population that government programs overlook.

I do pay several hundred a year in tolls but as far as I can tell it all goes to state or local DOTs.

Re: IRS Reforms Free File Program, Drops Agreement Not to Compete with TurboTax

#205

Post by jakobegger »

nix0n wrote: post #170
marcrosoft wrote: post #164

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> messaging that the government can't do anything properly I would love to hear about things the government has done exceptionally better than private companies. Please go on.

Healthcare comes to mind since we're discussing US politics. Roads might be the canonical example but I'm not familiar with any examples of privatized roads.

Countries with public rail systems (or railway companies that are largely owned by the state) are usually way better than privately operated railway lines. Private railway service almost always sucks (crappy trains, high fares) and is only profitable on the most popular routes.

Re: IRS Reforms Free File Program, Drops Agreement Not to Compete with TurboTax

#206

Post by zchrykng »

alistairSH wrote: post #145
dahfizz wrote: post #132

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I have had a different experience. Last year I filled out my 1040EZ and was unhappy with the final amount owed. I decided to click through turbo tax who found me a lot of deductions related to student loans and things. I think I only paid like $35 and they saved me over a thousand I would have missed otherwise. And truthfully, it's not a lot of money. I would gladly pay $30-40 just to not have to deal with the hassle…

The majority (~70%) of tax-payers don't have $12k/$24k (single/married) worth of things to deduct. Yet, ~90% of tax-payers use either a CPA (~50%) or tax software (30%) to file. Between overly complex rules, heavy advertising, and lobbying, the tax prep companies have us all convinced we'll go jail if we don't pay $40-$400+ for prep services.

I'm a CPA, and I pay another CPA specialized in taxes to do mine. Our tax code is far too complex. Basically no one can just sit down and do their taxes and be sure that they are paying the minimum amount they owe.

Re: IRS Reforms Free File Program, Drops Agreement Not to Compete with TurboTax

#207

Post by plerpin »

xtracto wrote: post #38

This USA tax thing has always baffled me... it is the exact definition of why we pay taxes: for the government to provide services that are common to the country´s citizens. There´s nothing more common than tax collection: rich, middle class or poor. Why wouldn't citizens demand a public tax filing process? Even in Mexico we have an automagical tax filing process that makes: a) The great majority of the population wh…

It's by design. The GOP wants you to rub your face in the fact that the government runs on tax revenue, in the hope that you'll develop an allergy to taxes.

Re: IRS Reforms Free File Program, Drops Agreement Not to Compete with TurboTax

#208

Post by virmundi »

tylerchr wrote: post #166
marcrosoft wrote: post #164

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> messaging that the government can't do anything properly I would love to hear about things the government has done exceptionally better than private companies. Please go on.

The Interstate Highway System, manned spaceflight, and National Parks come to mind.

The first is crumbling and a major cause of urban sprawl and global warming. The second has brought some benefits like a microwave, but nothing of any meaningful use. We lack moon bases for example. National parks should be state run. This is a massive power grab by the feds under feel-good logic.

Re: IRS Reforms Free File Program, Drops Agreement Not to Compete with TurboTax

#209

Post by jeffdavis »

xtracto wrote: post #38

This USA tax thing has always baffled me... it is the exact definition of why we pay taxes: for the government to provide services that are common to the country´s citizens. There´s nothing more common than tax collection: rich, middle class or poor. Why wouldn't citizens demand a public tax filing process? Even in Mexico we have an automagical tax filing process that makes: a) The great majority of the population wh…

"it is the exact definition of why we pay taxes: for the government to provide services that are common to the country´s citizens"

I disagree with that definition. In a limited government, taxes are only for specific purposes, not any service that might be commonly (or even universally) needed/wanted.

You can agree or disagree about whether a limited government is good, or whether tax filing services should fall within those limits. But it's certainly not the definition of taxes to be for any and all "common services".

Re: IRS Reforms Free File Program, Drops Agreement Not to Compete with TurboTax

#210

Post by dehrmann »

jacurtis wrote: post #190
xtracto wrote: post #38

This USA tax thing has always baffled me... it is the exact definition of why we pay taxes: for the government to provide services that are common to the country´s citizens. There´s nothing more common than tax collection: rich, middle class or poor. Why wouldn't citizens demand a public tax filing process? Even in Mexico we have an automagical tax filing process that makes: a) The great majority of the population wh…

Most countries have this "automagical tax filing process". And what kills me the most is that America actually secretly has this same system too . Yet every year we have to go through the charade of filing taxes ourselves, when the governemnt already knows what we owe without us needing to round up paperwork, W2 forms, 1099 forms, and so forth. Yet they make us do it anyway. Don't believe me? Simply don't file your t…

> They know all of your income down to the cent

If you have a W-2 job and all your investments are in a bank or brokerage, but they still don't know your filing situation, dependents, other income, or deductions.

Not that I'm justifying the current system. It's just that the IRS only knows the big picture for most people. The rest is complicated.

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