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IRS tests free e-filing system that could compete with tax prep giants

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Re: IRS tests free e-filing system that could compete with tax prep giants

#431
post #428

On the upside, if the tax-preparation industry is destroyed or severely diminished, it would make it easier to reform/simplify the tax code at a later date should a future government be so inclined. On the downside... no way would I use a tax preparation system provided by the IRS. It's bound to be a UX nightmare, like all government software, there's an obvious conflict of interest (the IRS has no reason to help fin…

> On the downside... no way would I use a tax preparation system provided by the government.

Seems to work for every other developed country

Re: IRS tests free e-filing system that could compete with tax prep giants

#432

> A direct-to-IRS e-file system is wholly redundant and is nothing more than a solution in search of a problem," said Rick Heineman, a spokesman for Intuit, the company behind TurboTax. "That solution will unnecessarily cost taxpayers billions of dollars and especially harm the most vulnerable Americans." Extraordinary that he could say that sentence with what I assume was a straight face.

[deleted]

Re: IRS tests free e-filing system that could compete with tax prep giants

#434

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I go with them too. Everytime this comes up though I post this https://apps.irs.gov/app/freeFile/browse-all-offers/ There's many nice and cheap options out there. Please, if you value basic democracy, don't give money to Intuit or TurboTax - not a dollar, not a penny. But do click on their paid ads whenever you see them and just close out after the page load. That company needs to be dismantled brick by brick, byte b…

I did OLT again this year. Due in part to how many click throughs they require if you aren't paying or doing state taxes through them, and due in part to significant personal distractions this year, I didn't notice that I actually hadn't filed until after April 17th, despite finishing everything but the final click-throughs in early February. Fortunately I'm owed so shouldn't be paying any penalties for filing late.…

The deadline was the 18th this year, so you made it just in time!

Re: IRS tests free e-filing system that could compete with tax prep giants

#435

> A direct-to-IRS e-file system is wholly redundant and is nothing more than a solution in search of a problem," said Rick Heineman, a spokesman for Intuit, the company behind TurboTax. "That solution will unnecessarily cost taxpayers billions of dollars and especially harm the most vulnerable Americans." Extraordinary that he could say that sentence with what I assume was a straight face.

Exactly. I read that statement and now I think I need to go to the ER because I strained my eyes from rolling them so hard.

I'm curious what he means by this solution harming vulnerable Americans. Are they the same vulnerable Americans that TurboTax tricked into paying for their product after enticing them in with promises of "completely free filing"?

Re: IRS tests free e-filing system that could compete with tax prep giants

#436
post #428

On the upside, if the tax-preparation industry is destroyed or severely diminished, it would make it easier to reform/simplify the tax code at a later date should a future government be so inclined. On the downside... no way would I use a tax preparation system provided by the IRS. It's bound to be a UX nightmare, like all government software, there's an obvious conflict of interest (the IRS has no reason to help fin…

> no way would I use a tax preparation system provided by the government.

As someone who has used government-provided tax preparation systems my entire life, I'm curious what your threat model here is exactly.

Re: IRS tests free e-filing system that could compete with tax prep giants

#438
post #428

On the upside, if the tax-preparation industry is destroyed or severely diminished, it would make it easier to reform/simplify the tax code at a later date should a future government be so inclined. On the downside... no way would I use a tax preparation system provided by the IRS. It's bound to be a UX nightmare, like all government software, there's an obvious conflict of interest (the IRS has no reason to help fin…

I would. They already know how much I need to pay them/how much they owe me. It should be as simple as a text message I reply “y/n” to.

Re: IRS tests free e-filing system that could compete with tax prep giants

#440
post #428

On the upside, if the tax-preparation industry is destroyed or severely diminished, it would make it easier to reform/simplify the tax code at a later date should a future government be so inclined. On the downside... no way would I use a tax preparation system provided by the IRS. It's bound to be a UX nightmare, like all government software, there's an obvious conflict of interest (the IRS has no reason to help fin…

>I'd rather not give them any more visibility than I have to into my personal finances.

They already kinda have all the visibility they want. Remember the whole joke about the IRS - "we know exactly how much you owe, but we're not going to tell you that amount because you have to figure it out yourself, and if your number doesn't match ours, you could go to jail for tax fraud".

If you use anything but cash for everything, the IRS knows. Credit cards? Employment info such as salary? Rent, mortgages, loans? They know everything already.

I'd rather trust them than a private company that has to lobby against tax reform to keep their stock price high.

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