30 ms·
I strongly disagree with this. The tax code is relatively straightforward for a programmer. It’s a bunch of conditional statements and simple math. Even the ca
by grumple 6y ago
I strongly disagree with this.
The tax code is relatively straightforward for a programmer. It’s a bunch of conditional statements and simple math. Even the cases you mention are straightforward compared to the usual ambiguity that comes with engineering a product.
TurboTax is awful software. One question at a time, their user flow is AWFUL. Truly abysmal design for even the simplest of tax situations.
The IRS’s free file fillable form site is similarly awful; their asynchronous, background xml validation of forms after they’ve been submitted to notify you that their system let you input something invalid is a laughable system design.
This market is ripe for disruption. I do feel that should come from the government itself, but that seems unlikely for political reasons.
- sneeze-slayer 6y agoYou mean for free file forms you don't like getting an email with some incomprehensible language? Oh, don't worry they provide a tool. Just copy the _entire_ email they send you and paste in some tool. Genuinely it is a horrible experience, but I suppose it is better filing by paper and waiting a few weeks for a small correction.
- grumple 6y agoWell, I thought so too. Until I realized six months later that I hadn't gotten my refund. Turns out that I'd gotten an email shortly after submission that had gone unnoticed saying that my return had failed xml validation, just like you. What was the point of the frontend validation before submission? Why isn't the full validation done before submission properly? Total nonsense. I re-filed with paper... still hasn't showed up on the IRS website.