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

Post by mixmastamyk » Wed, Nov 05, 2025, 4:34 PM UTC

simoncion wrote: post #180

mixmastamyk wrote: post #176

Earlier quoted context omitted.

No, I didn’t enter PII into it, just let it do math, downloaded, and printed. Wrote contact info by hand. (The efiling never worked for me, always complained about something esoteric.) They’re just values as far as it’s concerned. And it is dumped every October. But phone # validation up front is too much, an overstep. Like I said, I just used it for the calc ability so a spreadsheet works as well. Bit of work the fi…

Weird. The electronic filing has worked flawless for me every year for the past like four or five years. Was the "esoteric" complaint delivered as an email after you'd submitted your paperwork? If so, then in my experience, that's because you've fucked up the data you input into the form and the IRS's backend has a funny-but-useful way of spelling that. > But phone # validation up front is too much, an overstep. They…

Post by dmoy » Wed, Nov 05, 2025, 4:40 PM UTC

dpark wrote: post #177

Amezarak wrote: post #130

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The average HNer, who is fairly literate and well-informed about tax-prep, tends to misunderstand the situation. Using tax preparation software is the cheap (or free!) alternative to what millions of Americans are doing. It was a change for the better for people who didn't do their own taxes. A regular person's taxes can always be done electronically for free, or if they really want, for $20-$100 through tax prep sof…

> The average HNer, who is fairly literate and well-informed about tax-prep, tends to misunderstand the situation. The fact that TurboTax is cheaper than a local CPA does not change the fact that Intuit actively lobbies to prevent free tax filing. In a sane world the IRS should send a letter to every tax-paying household in February that says “we owe you X”, “you owe us X”, or “your taxes are complex, please work wit…

Post by simoncion » Wed, Nov 05, 2025, 5:05 PM UTC

mixmastamyk wrote: post #181

simoncion wrote: post #180

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Weird. The electronic filing has worked flawless for me every year for the past like four or five years. Was the "esoteric" complaint delivered as an email after you'd submitted your paperwork? If so, then in my experience, that's because you've fucked up the data you input into the form and the IRS's backend has a funny-but-useful way of spelling that. > But phone # validation up front is too much, an overstep. They…

Started asking about two or three years ago at registration, didn’t try last year. My return is complicated and it couldn’t handle some obscure form. But don’t remember which. On time.

Post by isleyaardvark » Wed, Nov 05, 2025, 5:08 PM UTC

Amezarak wrote: post #129

wildzzz wrote: post #121

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The IRS already has most of my tax information and knows the tax code. Why must I deal with a third party (and potentially have to pay them) to electronically file my own taxes?

You don't have to pay. https://www.irs.gov/e-file-providers/free-file-fillable-form... As for "having most of your tax information", they don't. They know your reported income. You see that on your W2s/1099s/etc. What they don't know is whether or not you had a kid this year, or whether you lost a kid this year, whether you got married or divorced, if your spouse is claiming the kids this year or not, the number or a…

Post by ryandrake » Wed, Nov 05, 2025, 5:24 PM UTC

ethbr1 wrote: post #156

didgeoridoo wrote: post #149

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think GP’s point was that the vast majority of individuals have taxes that look like “one W2, maybe a couple 1099s, and standard deduction.” Many of these people have been scared into using a CPA when they really just need to plug-and-chug a few numbers into tax software. As soon as the words “passthrough LLC” (or “farm” or “S-corp” or “itemize”) are on the table, it’s usually worth it to pay $1,000 for a professio…

Exactly. Tax complexity drives the CPA / tax prep need. That said, there is a huge swath of America that's being preyed on by strip-mall tax prep, who derive zero benefit from it. (And an industry whose profits ultimately trickle up to the tax prep software companies)