>Taxpayers are trapped in this time warp because Congress has systemically underinvested in the IRS. Only some taxpayers are "trapped", because they stubbornly

>Taxpayers are trapped in this time warp because Congress has systemically underinvested in the IRS. Only some taxpayers are "trapped", because they stubbornly refuse to efile their returns. The excess cost to process paper-filed returns of this minority is born directly and indirectly by all taxpayers. (It is very rare that efiling an income tax return is not possible). Fun fact: back in the late 1990s the IRS had a scannable paper Form 1040-PC[0], not clear why it was discontinued. Very recently, the Taxpayer Advocate recommended that IRS re-institute some form of scanning technology for paper returns, the IRS rejected the recommendation, and the TA is appealing that.[1] The IRS has actually made tremendous progress in allowing prior year returns to be efiled, and now amended returns can also be efiled. [0]https://www.taxnotes.com/research/federal/irs-guidance/forms-watch/irs-asks-for-omb-approval-of-form-1040pc/11189 https://www.taxnotes.com/research/federal/irs-guidance/forms... [1]https://www.accountingtoday.com/news/taxpayer-advocate-appeals-irs-decision-to-delay-scanning-tech https://www.accountingtoday.com/news/taxpayer-advocate-appea...