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Free Tax Software Is Bad

common-form.com

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Re: Free Tax Software Is Bad

#11

Post by lawl »

josteink wrote: post #8
raverbashing wrote: post #3

Yeah, that's why in a lot of countries you just use the state-sanctioned software and be done with it. This is just BS from companies afraid to lose their cash cow. Fraud is always going to happen, period. Deal with them and that's it.

> in a lot of countries you just use the state-sanctioned software Make that free, web-based & state-hosted online solutions. What is this tax-software thing you are taking about?

For Switzerland there's a java based software that allows you to print a PDF in the end you can send by snail-mail.

See this page if you're interested: https://translate.google.com/translate?sl=auto&tl=en&js=y&pr...

They also have a web based solution, but I personally prefer not to use it, because I don't trust it.

Re: Free Tax Software Is Bad

#12

Post by mattmanser »

raziel2p wrote: post #7
repomies69 wrote: post #6

It is quite funny, looking from a small country, how big the "tax software" industry is in the US. I live in Finland, but even we have about 5 alternatives for accounting software etc. However, not much for personal use. I often wonder how big percent of the software people work only on these problems, which relate to tax filings, refunds etc.

Same here, coming from Norway. My process of filling in taxes is get an e-mail notifying me it's ready to be checked, log in to a government website using a secure ID chip thingy, check that the yearly income and tax percentage looks correct, click OK, done. Taxes are paid continuously by my employer on each salary payment, and if at the end of the year it turns out I paid too little, I get a bill, and if I paid too…

In the UK the vast majority of people do nothing each year, they get a piece of paper called a P60 that just lists the money the earnt and the tax their employer deducted at source for them.

Re: Free Tax Software Is Bad

#13

Post by stephen_g »

josteink wrote: post #8
raverbashing wrote: post #3

Yeah, that's why in a lot of countries you just use the state-sanctioned software and be done with it. This is just BS from companies afraid to lose their cash cow. Fraud is always going to happen, period. Deal with them and that's it.

> in a lot of countries you just use the state-sanctioned software Make that free, web-based & state-hosted online solutions. What is this tax-software thing you are taking about?

I think we have a web based application for simple tax returns now in Australia. I still download the free application from the tax office to do mine though because I have to put my business income in and share income and stuff. It's a bit crappy, but at least they finally have a Mac version as of about two years ago and it only takes about 45 minutes because it pulls most of your info in (bank interest, share income, salary, etc.) when you put in your tax file number (a bit like a social security number I think) and then you just add in anything missing and do the deductions.

Re: Free Tax Software Is Bad

#14

Post by Oletros »

josteink wrote: post #8
raverbashing wrote: post #3

Yeah, that's why in a lot of countries you just use the state-sanctioned software and be done with it. This is just BS from companies afraid to lose their cash cow. Fraud is always going to happen, period. Deal with them and that's it.

> in a lot of countries you just use the state-sanctioned software Make that free, web-based & state-hosted online solutions. What is this tax-software thing you are taking about?

In Spain we have an state developed program to fill and send the taxes.

Re: Free Tax Software Is Bad

#15

Post by Oletros »

raziel2p wrote: post #7
repomies69 wrote: post #6

It is quite funny, looking from a small country, how big the "tax software" industry is in the US. I live in Finland, but even we have about 5 alternatives for accounting software etc. However, not much for personal use. I often wonder how big percent of the software people work only on these problems, which relate to tax filings, refunds etc.

Same here, coming from Norway. My process of filling in taxes is get an e-mail notifying me it's ready to be checked, log in to a government website using a secure ID chip thingy, check that the yearly income and tax percentage looks correct, click OK, done. Taxes are paid continuously by my employer on each salary payment, and if at the end of the year it turns out I paid too little, I get a bill, and if I paid too…

More less like in Spain. The government send an SMS or email, you check the data and if right you approve it

Re: Free Tax Software Is Bad

#16

Post by swatkat »

josteink wrote: post #8
raverbashing wrote: post #3

Yeah, that's why in a lot of countries you just use the state-sanctioned software and be done with it. This is just BS from companies afraid to lose their cash cow. Fraud is always going to happen, period. Deal with them and that's it.

> in a lot of countries you just use the state-sanctioned software Make that free, web-based & state-hosted online solutions. What is this tax-software thing you are taking about?

True. In India, we have a state-hosted tax filing portal[1] that's very easy to use.

[1]https://incometaxindiaefiling.gov.in/e-Filing/UserLogin/Logi...

Re: Free Tax Software Is Bad

#17

Post by sokoloff »

jsprogrammer wrote: post #9

Privatized tax collectors are bad. Private collectors have every incentive to make collection as difficult as possible so as to cement their position (and profits). A government that employs a tax scheme that is so complicated that it requires private collectors is signalling dysfunction and is presenting an attack surface whereby that government is open to undue influence from the collectors while simultaneously ham…

I'd use "preparer" everywhere you use "collector" above. The private companies don't actually collect the money; that goes straight to/from the government. The private companies, whether silicon or carbon-based, just serve to help you prepare your tax return (ie: calculate your total tax and file the return).

I agree with you on the complexity points, as I spend in the just barely four-figures annually for my CPA/EA to prepare our family returns. Our filing generally runs in the 50-100 page range and I don't even run a business.

I disagree on the duty to inform point. It is your duty as a citizen (and optionally a business owner) to understand the laws that are relevant to you, and not the government's duty to push that information to you in a customized-to-you fashion.

Re: Free Tax Software Is Bad

#18

Post by hga »

Here's some US individual state tax experiences, granted, all for simple filings, that might suggest some good things:

First state tax return I filled out was in Massachusetts in 1981, and it was the ultimate EZ form: they sent me a punch card with e.g. my ID info already punched into it, and I filled out a few items and was done.

Much more recently Virginia created a very nice web site; they also quite intelligently have a deadline of May 1 so you don't treat your state taxes as something of an afterthought.

Missouri, where I retired to, did a very interesting thing: PDF tax forms which you fill out, hit a button on them I think, and it encoded all the info in a 2D barcode in upper right of the form. Which if all goes well, makes it super easy for them to get everything correctly into their systems.

Re: Free Tax Software Is Bad

#19

Post by bitslayer »

raverbashing wrote: post #3

Yeah, that's why in a lot of countries you just use the state-sanctioned software and be done with it. This is just BS from companies afraid to lose their cash cow. Fraud is always going to happen, period. Deal with them and that's it.

That's so un-American.

Re: Free Tax Software Is Bad

#20

Post by chii »

sokoloff wrote: post #17
jsprogrammer wrote: post #9

Privatized tax collectors are bad. Private collectors have every incentive to make collection as difficult as possible so as to cement their position (and profits). A government that employs a tax scheme that is so complicated that it requires private collectors is signalling dysfunction and is presenting an attack surface whereby that government is open to undue influence from the collectors while simultaneously ham…

I'd use "preparer" everywhere you use "collector" above. The private companies don't actually collect the money; that goes straight to/from the government. The private companies, whether silicon or carbon-based, just serve to help you prepare your tax return (ie: calculate your total tax and file the return). I agree with you on the complexity points, as I spend in the just barely four-figures annually for my CPA/EA…

> push that information to you in a customized-to-you fashion.

but the IRS somehow knows exactly what you owed them and why, so why can't they just perform that calculation before hand, and then tell you it, instead of forcing an onerous process on everyone else, and waste people's resources paying for tax-preparation services?

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