7 ms·

The ridiculous tax code isnt the fault of TT, even though they lobby to keep it that way. It's the fault of the cowards we keep sending to DC. Take it up with

The ridiculous tax code isnt the fault of TT, even though they lobby to keep it that way. It's the fault of the cowards we keep sending to DC. Take it up with them.

ianai 9y ago
Post-citizens United, it’s the corporations.
- votepaunchy 9y ago
  Corporations don’t file a 1040.
  - maym86 9y ago
    Corporations like Intuit TurboTax spend millions of dollars of the money you give them to loby the government and keep the system so convoluted that you need them to do your taxes.
    - Spivak 9y ago
      This is more a meme than a reality. I'm sure that they do spend money to protect their business but it's a bit silly to think that they have a measurable effect on the tax code complexity compared to the money that comes from other special interests. People with simple tax situations could very easily full out the forms from the IRS. The 1040ez lives up to it's name -- doing it with software is in most cases just more convenient. And people with complicated tax situations have a tax accountant. There's a middle ground with upper middle incomes and small businesses which have somewhat reasonably nontrivial tax code that applies. In the absence of software they would probably be pushed the accountant route. Generally people want this complexity because they pay less compared to proposed simpler systems.
      - maym86 9y ago
        It's not about the tax code complexity. It's about the government having a system in place to use the information it already has to automatically complete your taxes if you have a simpler tax return. This happens in a lot of other countries and, having lived in one where this happens, is much better. Intuit lobbys to stop this happening because they know a lot of people don't have complex returns and if the government automatically calculates basic returns it would wipe out a large portion of their customer base. https://www.propublica.org/article/filing-taxes-could-be-free-simple-hr-block-intuit-lobbying-against-it# https://www.propublica.org/article/filing-taxes-could-be-fre...
votepaunchy 9y ago
And yet whenever we try to eliminate “loopholes”, there’s some group complaining vigorously to keep that complexity. The new tax law simplified taxes for most filers by increasing the standard deduction (by eliminating exemptions).
- goatherders 9y ago
  How do you know the new tax law simplifies filing since it didn't apply to 2017?
  - maxerickson 9y ago
    It's pretty much guaranteed that fewer people will itemize this year.
    - goatherders 9y ago
      Whoever told you that is a moron. The new tax changes go into effect for 2018. Fewer itemizers for 2017 taxes has nothing to do with the changes to the tax code.
      - maxerickson 9y ago
        I guess my statement as made is ambiguous, but I wouldn't have said "this year" if I meant 2017 taxes.
        goatherders 9y ago
        Ok. Granted fewer people will itemize in 2018. And so what? I don't think TT has a stranglehold on the industry because people worry about their itemizations. In other words, I don't expect TT to have fewer users and less revenue for 2018 returns. No one is going to say "the standard deduction makes sense for me...I no longer need turbo tax"
        9y ago
lern_too_spel 9y ago
A complicated tax code isn't the problem. The tax code can be as complicated as can be, so long as it is computed automatically by the state from the data it already receives, which is the part that Intuit is blocking.
- JorgeGT 9y ago
  Here in my country the "practical manual" for this tax year is 1163 pages long, but the web app of the ministry has most of your information already stored. For the vast majority of people filing taxes it's just a matter of clicking "OK" a few times.
Angostura 9y ago
> even though they lobby to keep it that way. It’s continuing existence is their fault, then. If not their sole fault.

The ridiculous tax code isnt the fault of TT, even though they lobby to keep it that way. It's the fault of the cowards we keep sending to DC. Take it up with them.

ianai 9y ago

Post-citizens United, it’s the corporations.

votepaunchy 9y ago
Corporations don’t file a 1040.
- maym86 9y ago
  Corporations like Intuit TurboTax spend millions of dollars of the money you give them to loby the government and keep the system so convoluted that you need them to do your taxes.
  - Spivak 9y ago
    This is more a meme than a reality. I'm sure that they do spend money to protect their business but it's a bit silly to think that they have a measurable effect on the tax code complexity compared to the money that comes from other special interests. People with simple tax situations could very easily full out the forms from the IRS. The 1040ez lives up to it's name -- doing it with software is in most cases just more convenient. And people with complicated tax situations have a tax accountant. There's a middle ground with upper middle incomes and small businesses which have somewhat reasonably nontrivial tax code that applies. In the absence of software they would probably be pushed the accountant route. Generally people want this complexity because they pay less compared to proposed simpler systems.
    - maym86 9y ago
      It's not about the tax code complexity. It's about the government having a system in place to use the information it already has to automatically complete your taxes if you have a simpler tax return. This happens in a lot of other countries and, having lived in one where this happens, is much better. Intuit lobbys to stop this happening because they know a lot of people don't have complex returns and if the government automatically calculates basic returns it would wipe out a large portion of their customer base. https://www.propublica.org/article/filing-taxes-could-be-free-simple-hr-block-intuit-lobbying-against-it# https://www.propublica.org/article/filing-taxes-could-be-fre...

votepaunchy 9y ago

And yet whenever we try to eliminate “loopholes”, there’s some group complaining vigorously to keep that complexity. The new tax law simplified taxes for most filers by increasing the standard deduction (by eliminating exemptions).

goatherders 9y ago
How do you know the new tax law simplifies filing since it didn't apply to 2017?
- maxerickson 9y ago
  It's pretty much guaranteed that fewer people will itemize this year.
  - goatherders 9y ago
    Whoever told you that is a moron. The new tax changes go into effect for 2018. Fewer itemizers for 2017 taxes has nothing to do with the changes to the tax code.
    - maxerickson 9y ago
      I guess my statement as made is ambiguous, but I wouldn't have said "this year" if I meant 2017 taxes.
      - goatherders 9y ago
        Ok. Granted fewer people will itemize in 2018. And so what? I don't think TT has a stranglehold on the industry because people worry about their itemizations. In other words, I don't expect TT to have fewer users and less revenue for 2018 returns. No one is going to say "the standard deduction makes sense for me...I no longer need turbo tax"
        9y ago

lern_too_spel 9y ago

A complicated tax code isn't the problem. The tax code can be as complicated as can be, so long as it is computed automatically by the state from the data it already receives, which is the part that Intuit is blocking.

JorgeGT 9y ago
Here in my country the "practical manual" for this tax year is 1163 pages long, but the web app of the ministry has most of your information already stored. For the vast majority of people filing taxes it's just a matter of clicking "OK" a few times.

Angostura 9y ago

> even though they lobby to keep it that way. It’s continuing existence is their fault, then. If not their sole fault.