The tax code is too complex, which is why it takes so much work to correctly compute what you owe. It doesn't matter whether the tax payer does this, or someone

The tax code is too complex, which is why it takes so much work to correctly compute what you owe. It doesn't matter whether the tax payer does this, or someone does this on their behalf to make it "easy". Taxes should be simple to pay because they're simply structured. In the US, Congress derives much of its power from tweaking the tax code, it's how campaign contributions are rewarded. Do this for a hundred years, and you get a complex tax code. This is also why it's not going to be simplified anytime soon, since Congress will never vote to reduce its own power.