They should open source this. I would actually contribute to making this usable.
Makes you wonder why there wasn't an open source tool for this to begin with. Why did nobody feel the urge to make this?
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
#442Re: IRS tests free e-filing system that could compete with tax prep giants
#443The tax system in the USA is too complicated. I don't have any easy solutions.
I don't deal with enough money to make spending a lot of money on tax professionals or spending a lot of time myself dealing with all the details a good value proposition for me. One day out of the year, at most, is what I feel like I should be concerned with here, for all levels of the tax system: federal, state and local.
Instead what I'm left with is a dizzying array of information to keep track of and a vulturous private tax preperation industry trying to lock me into their products. I get it, people with serious money moving around want the flexability to make sure every last penny stays out of Uncle Sam's hands.
That's not what I'm concerned with. I'd gladly opt in to a simplified system where maybe I don't save every dollar but I don't have the hassle of dealing with a complex system and I can easily stay compliant and up-to-date.
Re: IRS tests free e-filing system that could compete with tax prep giants
#444On 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.
> They already know how much I need to pay them/how much they owe me.
This is not true in regards to the US Tax code. There's a reason the tax preparation industry is so large in this country.
Re: IRS tests free e-filing system that could compete with tax prep giants
#445> 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.
On some counts, he is not wrong.
It will cost taxpayers billions of dollars. Those billions of dollars will be well spent, and may be a net 0 cost for taxpayers after the savings on eFiling.
This is a revocation of the license to print money by the tax prep industry.
Re: IRS tests free e-filing system that could compete with tax prep giants
#446They should open source this. I would actually contribute to making this usable.
Makes you wonder why there wasn't an open source tool for this to begin with. Why did nobody feel the urge to make this?
I would imagine because of the self barter nature of open source. Open source only works when the group that can make the tools are also the group that uses them. So they are bartering with themselves. That's how they "pay" for it. But contributing back to the shared pool of resources
Taxpayers can't contribute back to the pool that software engineers use. The people who build it will not be "compensated" with other tools that they can the use for free. So they don't build them
Re: IRS tests free e-filing system that could compete with tax prep giants
#447> 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.
Just a paid shill with no credibility. Reminds me of David Lereah who was the spokesperson for National Association of Realtors during the biggest housing bubble who claimed there was no bubble.
He could do this job poorly from the beach collecting a check until moving on to the next corporate behemoth needing to shovel dreck to the masses. I encourage him to do so while the policy ratchet gets pulled forward and IRS gains this capability. Just look the other way while the lives of 150 million+ taxpayers gets improved ever so slightly.
Re: IRS tests free e-filing system that could compete with tax prep giants
#448On 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…
…but…they…already know?
You have to fill out values and match them based on the IRS’ existing knowledge?
It’s never made sense to have them separate. :/
Re: IRS tests free e-filing system that could compete with tax prep giants
#449In my country I don't need to do anything. They calculate the tax, and if I owe anything extra, or am owed a return, I get mail about it.
But there are downsides too, we also have free healthcare and the last school shooting was more than 80 years ago.
Re: IRS tests free e-filing system that could compete with tax prep giants
#450On 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.
In the US we have a history of government-made websites and tools that fail the user.
Additionally, our revenue dept has an unforgiving reputation if you fail to complete your tax information properly.