3 ms·

The US tax system is another one of those things about the US that looks utterly baffling to an outside observer from Europe. How on earth did it get into this

The US tax system is another one of those things about the US that looks utterly baffling to an outside observer from Europe. How on earth did it get into this state? How is this 'free'?

deleted 6y ago
[deleted]
lolsal 6y ago
It is utterly bonkers; I wish it was different. That being said, it seems "freer" to me to tell the IRS what my financial situation is rather than let it dictate to me what I owe, and then have to fight the government in order to take a deduction for donating to GoodWill or the Salvation Army. I'm splitting hairs trying to play devil's advocate here.
- CRConrad 6y ago
  Getting a deduction for that also seems bonkers. It's your money, you can do what you want with it, so sure, give it away to charity if you want — but WTF does that have to do with taxes? You pay taxes on your income, and then you can give away some of what's left; it's not the IRS that wants you to give it away, so why should their cut be affected by that? I'm pretty sure the US is alone in this weirdness too, as in so many others.
- pfranz 6y ago
  That's very similar to what's described in other countries. The government provides you with prefilled forms. In the basic scenario you sign and return. In a more complex scenario you amend it, sign it and return. As a bonus, they could make it software and offer a way to file/check online--but I'd be happy if they at least did it via the mail with paper.
pfranz 6y ago
In the early 2000s the US noticed most other countries started having an e-file option. President Bush thought the best way to "catch up" was to have a public/private partnership and created a system where "blessed" companies could e-file with the government. They must offer a free version for low-income people and the government couldn't offer a competing product.

3 ms·

The US tax system is another one of those things about the US that looks utterly baffling to an outside observer from Europe. How on earth did it get into this

by OwlsParlay 6y ago

The US tax system is another one of those things about the US that looks utterly baffling to an outside observer from Europe. How on earth did it get into this state? How is this 'free'?

deleted 6y ago
[deleted]
lolsal 6y ago
It is utterly bonkers; I wish it was different. That being said, it seems "freer" to me to tell the IRS what my financial situation is rather than let it dictate to me what I owe, and then have to fight the government in order to take a deduction for donating to GoodWill or the Salvation Army. I'm splitting hairs trying to play devil's advocate here.
- CRConrad 6y ago
  Getting a deduction for that also seems bonkers. It's your money, you can do what you want with it, so sure, give it away to charity if you want — but WTF does that have to do with taxes? You pay taxes on your income, and then you can give away some of what's left; it's not the IRS that wants you to give it away, so why should their cut be affected by that? I'm pretty sure the US is alone in this weirdness too, as in so many others.
- pfranz 6y ago
  That's very similar to what's described in other countries. The government provides you with prefilled forms. In the basic scenario you sign and return. In a more complex scenario you amend it, sign it and return. As a bonus, they could make it software and offer a way to file/check online--but I'd be happy if they at least did it via the mail with paper.
pfranz 6y ago
In the early 2000s the US noticed most other countries started having an e-file option. President Bush thought the best way to "catch up" was to have a public/private partnership and created a system where "blessed" companies could e-file with the government. They must offer a free version for low-income people and the government couldn't offer a competing product.