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No. This is not correct. https://www.propublica.org/article/filing-taxes-could-be-free-simple-hr-block-intuit-lobbying-against-it https://www.propublica.org/ar

No. This is not correct. 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... California piloted a pre-filled tax return system (similar to Sweden and Australias, that the OP was talking about) called ReadyReturn in 2005 with 51,000 people. Intuit then spent $3 million to smash it. They lobbied and then sued the state to stop the program. They are also profoundly incompetent technologists. There's an entire subreddit dedicated to how broken their stuff is (https://www.reddit.com/r/TurboTax/top/?t=all https://www.reddit.com/r/TurboTax/top/?t=all) What did the participants of ReadyReturn, the pre-fille forms, think of the government program that Intuit killed? "99% stated they were satisfied with ReadyReturn, 97% stated this is the type of service government should provide, 96% stated it was more convenient than how they filed in the past, 95% stated it saved them time, and 98% stated they would use it again" Once again private interests sabotage and destroy the public will. The line of "the reason taxes are so difficult..." is from sheer propaganda shills. Tax simplification has happened, it worked, and Intuit killed it every time. The reason is Intuit. They are the buggy whip industry that won. Shameless grifters that intentionally disrupt people's lives for profit. Use another service. Any listed on the IRS website: https://apps.irs.gov/app/freeFile/browse-all-offers https://apps.irs.gov/app/freeFile/browse-all-offers ... Never give Intuit a dime and click on every ad you see from them.

s1artibartfast 6y ago
I hear what you are saying about the problems with the current system being fraught with problems, and there being a total gap in a government provided service. That said, there are a lot of challenges to such a program. Ready return was limited to people who were single, no-dependents, standard-deduction, only-wage-income, one-employer, with a maximum adjusted gross income of $139,917 This is great for a number of people and should exist! That said, if you fall into this category, your 1040 should take 15 minutes to file by paper. Where automated systems break down is handling more complex scenarios. Selection of deductions, pass through business income and losses, charitable donations, corporate investment vehicles, ect. Many of this things require individuals to make choices at the time of filing. This is challenging to automate.
- mixmastamyk 6y ago
  It's not challenging at all. I did taxes in NZ for a contract once. You do make a few choices if you want add some exemptions to save money, but it doesn't amount to much either way.
  - s1artibartfast 6y ago
    Does NZ have a tax code as insane as the US? My point is that half the problem is the law, which needs to be updated.
    - mixmastamyk 6y ago
      Agreed, it was simpler. For example, they didn't have the married/single/blind nonsense.

s1artibartfast 6y ago

I hear what you are saying about the problems with the current system being fraught with problems, and there being a total gap in a government provided service. That said, there are a lot of challenges to such a program. Ready return was limited to people who were single, no-dependents, standard-deduction, only-wage-income, one-employer, with a maximum adjusted gross income of $139,917 This is great for a number of people and should exist! That said, if you fall into this category, your 1040 should take 15 minutes to file by paper. Where automated systems break down is handling more complex scenarios. Selection of deductions, pass through business income and losses, charitable donations, corporate investment vehicles, ect. Many of this things require individuals to make choices at the time of filing. This is challenging to automate.

mixmastamyk 6y ago
It's not challenging at all. I did taxes in NZ for a contract once. You do make a few choices if you want add some exemptions to save money, but it doesn't amount to much either way.
- s1artibartfast 6y ago
  Does NZ have a tax code as insane as the US? My point is that half the problem is the law, which needs to be updated.
  - mixmastamyk 6y ago
    Agreed, it was simpler. For example, they didn't have the married/single/blind nonsense.