A Bi-Partisan F-U

[Trausti]

Congress Is About to Ban the Government From Offering Free Online Tax Filing. Thank TurboTax.

A bill supported by Democrats and Republicans would make permanent a program that bars the IRS from ever developing its own online tax filing service.

I can understand those with assets and deductions for mortgage, etc., needing to prepare separate forms. For Joe and Jane Blow making a low to modest income, with no special deductions, this is stupid. The IRS already has your information. The government should be streamlined and do its best to reduce complexity.

 

[dismal]

I dunno it seems to me that governments have not historically been the best at developing user-friendly software cost effectively.

And I think there are freeware programs that can handle basic returns.

 

[Jarhyn]

I dunno it seems to me that governments have not historically been the best at developing user-friendly software cost effectively.

And I think there are freeware programs that can handle basic returns.

Bullshit.

This is done all over Europe successfully and cost-effectively.

 

[dismal]

I dunno it seems to me that governments have not historically been the best at developing user-friendly software cost effectively.

And I think there are freeware programs that can handle basic returns.

Bullshit.

This is done all over Europe successfully and cost-effectively.

So, supposing I grant you that in 5 or 10 years the government could make something almost as good as programs currently available to everyone for free. How much would you want the government to spend doing it?

10 billion? 100 billion? Price is no object?

 

[jonatha]

I dunno it seems to me that governments have not historically been the best at developing user-friendly software cost effectively.

And I think there are freeware programs that can handle basic returns.

Those free programs exist as a result of a prior compromise between the government and industry: offer free services to a segment of the population and the irs won't develop its own offering.

Not clear why this law is needed then our whether it signals the end of free turbotax

 

[ZiprHead]

I heard congressman Mark Pocan (D-WI) talking about this today. He said this little tidbit was inserted into the language of the bill with little notice, and as was said above, many countries already do this for their citizens. There's no reason the US cannot do this too except for corporatism that some members of congress are enamored with.

 

[dismal]

Having read a few articles the main gripes the gripes have is a) the IRS could prepopulate forms with the information it has and b) people aren’t aware there are a bunch of free programs out there so they don’t get used much.

I think if your taxes are simple enough that the IRS can do accurately because it has your W2s and 1099s, then your taxes are simple enough to do on a 1040ez in 10 minutes. And if anybody is making money off doing your taxes you are going to have trouble functioning in society. You can be cited as proof our schools are a failure.

I think our resources would be better spent simplifying the tax code to the point more people can do their taxes in 10 minutes than trying to auto fill the forms of people who can already do it in 10 minutes.

 

[dismal]

I heard congressman Mark Pocan (D-WI) talking about this today. He said this little tidbit was inserted into the language of the bill with little notice, and as was said above, many countries already do this for their citizens. There's no reason the US cannot do this too except for corporatism that some members of congress are enamored with.

When I see comments like this it makes me wonder if people here have actual experience doing taxes. The IRS could not fill out my taxes close to accurately with the forms it gets.

 

[ZiprHead]

I heard congressman Mark Pocan (D-WI) talking about this today. He said this little tidbit was inserted into the language of the bill with little notice, and as was said above, many countries already do this for their citizens. There's no reason the US cannot do this too except for corporatism that some members of congress are enamored with.

When I see comments like this it makes me wonder if people here have actual experience doing taxes. The IRS could not fill out my taxes close to accurately with the forms it gets.

If your only form is a W2 or two, as a shit ton of US citizens only have, yes they certainly can do it for many people.

But, please, continue with your straw man. Obviously if the government can't do it for you they shouldn't do it for anyone.

 

[dismal]

I heard congressman Mark Pocan (D-WI) talking about this today. He said this little tidbit was inserted into the language of the bill with little notice, and as was said above, many countries already do this for their citizens. There's no reason the US cannot do this too except for corporatism that some members of congress are enamored with.

When I see comments like this it makes me wonder if people here have actual experience doing taxes. The IRS could not fill out my taxes close to accurately with the forms it gets.

If your only form is a W2 or two, as a shit ton of US citizens only have, yes they certainly can do it for many people.

But, please, continue with your straw man. Obviously if the government can't do it for you they shouldn't do it for anyone.

So, if your only form is a W2 or two how much time does it take to do your taxes now? How much money are the big corporations likely to be making off you?

 

[ZiprHead]

Sorry, not following you down another dismalized rat-hole.

 

[dismal]

Sorry, not following you down another dismalized rat-hole.

So, it’s a rat hole to question the benefit of doing something or the idiocy of people who make arguments about “corporatism” as if they haven’t said something mindless?

Got it.

 

[ZiprHead]

Sorry, not following you down another dismalized rat-hole.

 

[Loren Pechtel]

Having read a few articles the main gripes the gripes have is a) the IRS could prepopulate forms with the information it has and b) people aren’t aware there are a bunch of free programs out there so they don’t get used much.

I think if your taxes are simple enough that the IRS can do accurately because it has your W2s and 1099s, then your taxes are simple enough to do on a 1040ez in 10 minutes. And if anybody is making money off doing your taxes you are going to have trouble functioning in society. You can be cited as proof our schools are a failure.

I think our resources would be better spent simplifying the tax code to the point more people can do their taxes in 10 minutes than trying to auto fill the forms of people who can already do it in 10 minutes.

I don't think anyone can do their taxes in 10 minutes without software assistance--things change every year.

Besides, it's not just for those who can do them in 10 minutes, but many more who can use some of the pre-filled stuff and fill in what the IRS is missing.

I can see two objections:

1) The drown-the-government crowd wants taxes to be painful. Making it easy isn't something they want.

2) It tells the taxpayer what the IRS knows and thus makes cheating easier by not revealing what the IRS will catch.

 

[Loren Pechtel]

I heard congressman Mark Pocan (D-WI) talking about this today. He said this little tidbit was inserted into the language of the bill with little notice, and as was said above, many countries already do this for their citizens. There's no reason the US cannot do this too except for corporatism that some members of congress are enamored with.

When I see comments like this it makes me wonder if people here have actual experience doing taxes. The IRS could not fill out my taxes close to accurately with the forms it gets.

Likewise, but even then I could generally simply use the D as is and add a little bit to the B.

 

[dismal]

Having read a few articles the main gripes the gripes have is a) the IRS could prepopulate forms with the information it has and b) people aren’t aware there are a bunch of free programs out there so they don’t get used much.

I think if your taxes are simple enough that the IRS can do accurately because it has your W2s and 1099s, then your taxes are simple enough to do on a 1040ez in 10 minutes. And if anybody is making money off doing your taxes you are going to have trouble functioning in society. You can be cited as proof our schools are a failure.

I think our resources would be better spent simplifying the tax code to the point more people can do their taxes in 10 minutes than trying to auto fill the forms of people who can already do it in 10 minutes.

I don't think anyone can do their taxes in 10 minutes without software assistance--things change every year.

Besides, it's not just for those who can do them in 10 minutes, but many more who can use some of the pre-filled stuff and fill in what the IRS is missing.

I can see two objections:

1) The drown-the-government crowd wants taxes to be painful. Making it easy isn't something they want.

2) It tells the taxpayer what the IRS knows and thus makes cheating easier by not revealing what the IRS will catch.

False. I helped my daughter with her taxes when she had one W-2 and a standard deduction. It's not even worth bothering with the software. You download the EZ form and type in a couple numbers. The most time consuming thing is filling out the envelope.

If you are in this situation and paying money to anyone to do your taxes you are a symptom of educational failure.

 

[Jarhyn]

I dunno it seems to me that governments have not historically been the best at developing user-friendly software cost effectively.

And I think there are freeware programs that can handle basic returns.

Bullshit.

This is done all over Europe successfully and cost-effectively.

So, supposing I grant you that in 5 or 10 years the government could make something almost as good as programs currently available to everyone for free. How much would you want the government to spend doing it?

10 billion? 100 billion? Price is no object?

This couldn't be in worse faith. You are ignoring the fact that inmany European countries taxes are automatic and effortless. We're not talking a software persay, just accurate accounting and a simplified tax code.

"Why can't I hold all these limes!"

 

[dismal]

So, supposing I grant you that in 5 or 10 years the government could make something almost as good as programs currently available to everyone for free. How much would you want the government to spend doing it?

10 billion? 100 billion? Price is no object?

This couldn't be in worse faith. You are ignoring the fact that inmany European countries taxes are automatic and effortless. We're not talking a software persay, just accurate accounting and a simplified tax code.

"Why can't I hold all these limes!"

I'm all for simplifying the tax code to the point where taxes can be done automatically and effortlessly. I am willing to congratulate those European countries that have made their tax codes that simple.

These things do not change the reality that our tax code is not that simple now.

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

Having read a few articles the main gripes the gripes have is a) the IRS could prepopulate forms with the information it has and b) people aren’t aware there are a bunch of free programs out there so they don’t get used much.

I think if your taxes are simple enough that the IRS can do accurately because it has your W2s and 1099s, then your taxes are simple enough to do on a 1040ez in 10 minutes. And if anybody is making money off doing your taxes you are going to have trouble functioning in society. You can be cited as proof our schools are a failure.

I think our resources would be better spent simplifying the tax code to the point more people can do their taxes in 10 minutes than trying to auto fill the forms of people who can already do it in 10 minutes.

I don't think anyone can do their taxes in 10 minutes without software assistance--things change every year.

Besides, it's not just for those who can do them in 10 minutes, but many more who can use some of the pre-filled stuff and fill in what the IRS is missing.

I can see two objections:

1) The drown-the-government crowd wants taxes to be painful. Making it easy isn't something they want.

2) It tells the taxpayer what the IRS knows and thus makes cheating easier by not revealing what the IRS will catch.

dismal has a point regarding the Fed's ability to create software that is good and decently cheap. How much did it cost to do the national health care exchanges? My experience is the higher the level of bureaucracy, the worse the software. I think it is an issue of too many cooks, or limitations of Federal contracting.

 

[Jarhyn]

So, supposing I grant you that in 5 or 10 years the government could make something almost as good as programs currently available to everyone for free. How much would you want the government to spend doing it?

10 billion? 100 billion? Price is no object?

This couldn't be in worse faith. You are ignoring the fact that inmany European countries taxes are automatic and effortless. We're not talking a software persay, just accurate accounting and a simplified tax code.

"Why can't I hold all these limes!"

I'm all for simplifying the tax code to the point where taxes can be done automatically and effortlessly. I am willing to congratulate those European countries that have made their tax codes that simple.

These things do not change the reality that our tax code is not that simple now.

No, the thing that supports making our tax code that simple now is allowing government to fire shots over (or into) the bow of tax preparation companies thus breaking their power and allowing the simplification of our tax code.