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

Post by [deleted] » Tue, Dec 31, 2019, 9:23 PM UTC

joshstrange wrote: post #202

aidenn0 wrote: post #178

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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.

Post by PaulDavisThe1st » Tue, Dec 31, 2019, 9:24 PM UTC

zchrykng wrote: post #206

alistairSH wrote: post #145

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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.

Post by PaulDavisThe1st » Tue, Dec 31, 2019, 9:26 PM UTC

m0zg wrote: post #226

Just fucking send me my filled out tax forms, like they do in other countries, you already know everything, and where you're wrong, I'll contest.

Post by xrikcus » Tue, Dec 31, 2019, 9:28 PM UTC

jxramos wrote: post #168

komali2 wrote: post #82

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's pretty disgusting. Summed up in one of my favorite tweets, which went something like > Gov: you owe us money. It's called taxes > Ctzn: oh ok, how much do I owe you? > Gov: you have to figure it out > Ctzn: oh well, then I owe you 0 > Gov: no, no, we know how much you owe, you have to figure it out, and by the way if you get it wrong you go to jail

The thing people misunderstand with the government not being able to figure it out is because there's a huge variety of complexity that is truly individual based. Did you make a contribution to a tax deductible IRA? Did you make a retroactive payment to that account in the following tax calendar year? There's a ton of variables going on here, where the government doesn't have this all-seeing system where everything g…

Post by ksdale » Tue, Dec 31, 2019, 9:29 PM UTC

caro_douglos wrote: post #239

ksdale wrote: post #189

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I am definitely not a Grover Norquist fan, but I do taxes for a living and a lot of people are VERY surprised at the amount that is withheld from their paychecks, but they never notice how much it is unless something happens and they are required to write a check. A couple illustrations: It's very common for people to owe tax at a lower rate than they did the year before, but be upset because they have to write a che…

I think this is where things get unfair. As a system we are more comfortable taking advantage of these people’s ignorance than teaching them. As your said even savvy people don’t get this concept because it means understanding the whole system not just when they get their checks.