> if you worked the same job for the entire year, got no bonuses and had no other income at all I would wager this is most people working a 9-5. That's my poi

> if you worked the same job for the entire year, got no bonuses and had no other income at all I would wager this is most people working a 9-5. That's my point. It's optional, entirely. In the US, it is not. You are forced to file, every year, by penalty of law (really nasty IRS calls/visits/audits). And in order to file, you must wade through endless forms and confusing tax law, usually missing a tax break costing you more - unless, that is, you use software. And that's the rub - those software vendors are the ones lobbying against simplifying tax processess so that citizens are forced into using their software. It's not a "maybe this is happening". This is a "definitely happening" thing for decades now.