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Direct File won't happen in 2026, IRS tells states

nextgov.com

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Re: Direct File won't happen in 2026, IRS tells states

#12

With the rise of AI there is no excuse on why tax software should be so hard to make.

You’re going to give your tax data - some of the most sensitive data to some constituents - to OpenAI / Google / some other startup? That seems like a nightmare of a product as far as privacy is concerned.

I think they meant that it should be a lot faster to develop software that implements the tax code with the assistance of AI coding tools.

Re: Direct File won't happen in 2026, IRS tells states

#13

With the rise of AI there is no excuse on why tax software should be so hard to make.

You’re going to give your tax data - some of the most sensitive data to some constituents - to OpenAI / Google / some other startup? That seems like a nightmare of a product as far as privacy is concerned.

ISTM one ought to be able to use AI to translate the official IRS forms to a machine readable format. No personal data needs to go anywhere near the AI.

Even if you do want to feed your personal data to an AI tax bot, this should be easily within the capabilities of a model that can run locally.

Re: Direct File won't happen in 2026, IRS tells states

#15

With the rise of AI there is no excuse on why tax software should be so hard to make.

The entire reason that tax software is hard is that it can NEVER produce a wrong answer. Plus tax law is about ten thousand times more complicated than you're assuming.

Re: Direct File won't happen in 2026, IRS tells states

#16

With the rise of AI there is no excuse on why tax software should be so hard to make.

You’re going to give your tax data - some of the most sensitive data to some constituents - to OpenAI / Google / some other startup? That seems like a nightmare of a product as far as privacy is concerned.

Fwiw they have already bought all you financial info from Experian

https://theworknumber.com/solutions/products/income-employme...

Re: Direct File won't happen in 2026, IRS tells states

#17
What was wrong with using Free File Fillable Forms in the first place? It's the real deal forms just online and with nothing obscured or sugar coated.

I use it every year, and while I wouldn't exactly say I enjoy doing my taxes, I do enjoy being fully aware what I'm filing and not being forced to do it on paper just because others have obtuse opinions or are lazy.

Re: Direct File won't happen in 2026, IRS tells states

#20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Such a cheap bribe holy crap.

[flagged]

> Don’t be an idiot. ... failed worse than the Obamacare rollout

This is a very rude and inappropriate way to deliver your misinformation. The program was hugely popular and successfull

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