Well, even for an individual, optimizing their tax burden is ridiculously complex if you just take the IRS forms and code in hand. For a price (e.g. TurboTax) y

Well, even for an individual, optimizing their tax burden is ridiculously complex if you just take the IRS forms and code in hand. For a price (e.g. TurboTax) you can probably get to 80%+, especially if you live a simple life of a rental and a w-2. The process certainly favors those with the time and resources to understand the nuances of the tax code and most people don’t/can’t prioritize that. So it makes money off the “lazy” and non-confrontational in the same way that a car salesman does. That such a comparison makes even a bit of sense doesn’t speak highly of our system. We all rely on the herd defense to protect us from minor math mistakes and code violations. Lord knows you don’t want to end up on the wrong side of the IRS. All my interactions with them have thus far been easy but if you listen to some stories during testimony in the nineties about IRS reform they weren’t always that way. I like to think a simple flat rate would be better across the board. Many smart people disagree though.