Open Source Tax Software • Hacker News Board

Re: Open Source Tax Software

#21

Post by j_m_b » Tue, Oct 05, 2021, 4:26 AM UTC

3gg wrote: post #10

The real problem here is that Intuit and other companies lobby millions to maintain their status quo. The right thing to do would be to put every single dollar spent on these corporations into a government program that develops this kind of software or even does the taxes for you (this already exists in many countries in the EU.) Instead, in the US, you pay for Turbotax, they make a profit out if it, and then they us…

The US government is always honest and most assuredly will make their software with the end user in mind. Combined with the excellent customer support offered by the IRS and the US government's proven track record in creating stable software used by millions, this would be the best solution.

Re: Open Source Tax Software

#22

Post by ivalm » Tue, Oct 05, 2021, 4:27 AM UTC

phuff wrote: post #12

The US government provides this online for free. Only the edgiest of edge cases aren't supported. You can e-file your federal return with this regardless of how much money you make. You still have to do the calculations yourself. But you don't have to use paper. https://www.irs.gov/e-file-providers/free-file-fillable-form...

Except it's very useful to be able to import the many many forms for the various sources of income automatically. If you're just a w2 and a 1099-int then yes, obviously it's not hard to file taxes manually.

Re: Open Source Tax Software

#23

Post by icelancer » Tue, Oct 05, 2021, 4:28 AM UTC

3gg wrote: post #10

The real problem here is that Intuit and other companies lobby millions to maintain their status quo. The right thing to do would be to put every single dollar spent on these corporations into a government program that develops this kind of software or even does the taxes for you (this already exists in many countries in the EU.) Instead, in the US, you pay for Turbotax, they make a profit out if it, and then they us…

>> even does the taxes for you

This should exist. 80% of US citizens can just have this done right now.

>> government program that develops this kind of software

This should not for the remaining 20%.

Re: Open Source Tax Software

#24

Post by icelancer » Tue, Oct 05, 2021, 4:29 AM UTC

CheezeIt wrote: post #8

No way would I ever trust open source tax software not to mess things up somehow. The paid software has a big incentive to get it right.

Equifax controls as much of our lives as tax software. Possibly more. And there are no penalties for screwing up repeatedly.

Re: Open Source Tax Software

#25

Post by schiho » Tue, Oct 05, 2021, 4:30 AM UTC

thex10 wrote: post #3

This work excites me a lot, but I can’t help but wonder if this should be a government-funded rather than volunteer-driven effort.

It can start as an open source project and can end up goverment-funded.

Re: Open Source Tax Software

#26

Post by EvanDotPro » Tue, Oct 05, 2021, 4:34 AM UTC

xivzgrev wrote: post #19

I worked on tax software and have seen these kind of efforts. Noble, yes. Short lived, yes. It’s relatively easy to make a free 1040 file. The real problem comes from all. The. Edge. Cases. 1) do you support xyz state? 2) what if I lived in multiple states? 3) what if i… And on and on. And it’s not just one and done. Every year IRS and states are changing their shit so you have to go thru and make all kind of updates…

Around 2007-2008, as a "side project" I tried to build a web-based payroll software for a single state. Me and the developer I employed were able to get to 80% real quick, with ACH and everything. But as you say, the final 20% (edge cases) are nearly endless and ever-changing. Even a single state ended up being way too much for two developers.

Re: Open Source Tax Software

#27

Post by junar » Tue, Oct 05, 2021, 4:42 AM UTC

ivalm wrote: post #22

phuff wrote: post #12

The US government provides this online for free. Only the edgiest of edge cases aren't supported. You can e-file your federal return with this regardless of how much money you make. You still have to do the calculations yourself. But you don't have to use paper. https://www.irs.gov/e-file-providers/free-file-fillable-form...

Except it's very useful to be able to import the many many forms for the various sources of income automatically. If you're just a w2 and a 1099-int then yes, obviously it's not hard to file taxes manually.

Those features are really only viable at the scale of large commercial tax software, not the efforts described in the submitted post.

PDFs aren't exactly used in a standardized way, so trying to make this work for even a fraction of the numerous tax form issuers requires a lot of work, and a lot of ongoing maintenance. You'll need to prioritize the actual tax forms, and annual updates to those first.

Re: Open Source Tax Software

#28

Post by silisili » Tue, Oct 05, 2021, 4:42 AM UTC

xivzgrev wrote: post #19

I worked on tax software and have seen these kind of efforts. Noble, yes. Short lived, yes. It’s relatively easy to make a free 1040 file. The real problem comes from all. The. Edge. Cases. 1) do you support xyz state? 2) what if I lived in multiple states? 3) what if i… And on and on. And it’s not just one and done. Every year IRS and states are changing their shit so you have to go thru and make all kind of updates…

Funny you mention that, the first time I tried to use Credit Karma Tax, either last year or the year before, they punted on me for having lived in two states.

I agree with your sentiment, but not resolution. The truest resolution is in simplifying the tax code, which Intuit and co do not want.

Edit to add: When CreditKarma gave up on me, I tried FreeTaxUsa. It sounds like a scam I know, but they are top notch, and cheap. Highly recommend.

Re: Open Source Tax Software

#29

Post by sova » Tue, Oct 05, 2021, 4:42 AM UTC

phuff wrote: post #12

The US government provides this online for free. Only the edgiest of edge cases aren't supported. You can e-file your federal return with this regardless of how much money you make. You still have to do the calculations yourself. But you don't have to use paper. https://www.irs.gov/e-file-providers/free-file-fillable-form...

It's 2021 and you see no problem with this?

Re: Open Source Tax Software

#30

Post by netcan » Tue, Oct 05, 2021, 4:43 AM UTC

xivzgrev wrote: post #19

I worked on tax software and have seen these kind of efforts. Noble, yes. Short lived, yes. It’s relatively easy to make a free 1040 file. The real problem comes from all. The. Edge. Cases. 1) do you support xyz state? 2) what if I lived in multiple states? 3) what if i… And on and on. And it’s not just one and done. Every year IRS and states are changing their shit so you have to go thru and make all kind of updates…

>> Generally not the kind of thing for open source

Hard to know in advance, if OS communities can do something well or not. There are examples of taking on pretty sprawling problems successfully. On multi Language, portability and such they can often beat the "armies."