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Not only is it not getting simpler the tax code seems to keep growing as more exceptions and exemptions get added. I guess it's like so many legacy code bases t

Not only is it not getting simpler the tax code seems to keep growing as more exceptions and exemptions get added. I guess it's like so many legacy code bases that just keep growing with lots of patches for special cases. According to the Public Law 117-154(06/23/2022), the U.S. Tax Code is 6,871 pages. When you include the federal tax regulations and the official tax guidance, the number of pages raises to approximately 75,000. This zip file (pdf) is 181MB [0]. [0] https://uscode.house.gov/download/download.shtml https://uscode.house.gov/download/download.shtml

notch898a 4y ago
I can't think of a single person who wants taxes to become more complicated. How on earth does this happen? This overwhelmingly defies the democratic consensus, thus absent some special constitutional protections shouldn't be possible in a democracy.
- fragmede 4y ago
  Given that the more complicated taxes are, the easier it is for billionaires to hide what they're doing, pay less in taxes, and even get money back out from the IRS, along with giving accountants a job, is it really that much of a surprise?
- ticviking 4y ago
  Because we each individually like the small exemptions we enjoy better than we like the idea of directly subsidizing those things. My home mortgage deduction and the solar tax credits are great examples of popular policies that would need to be changed when we simplify the code
mdaniel 4y ago
I briefly actually tried to read up on the laws that governed me, since I once heard "ignorance of the law is no excuse" and also was curious what, exactly, it would take to really, no kidding, translate the tax code into python or Mlang (https://arxiv.org/abs/2011.07966 https://arxiv.org/abs/2011.07966 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=34579236 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=34579236 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=25208853 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=25208853 ) However, once I realized that -- as you said -- it's not just the law it's the court (and presumably IRS) rulings that supplement the law, that was too much for me and I noped out. My 2nd idea was to become an Enrolled Agent and then write up that experience, but I couldn't readily identify how much time and money that would cost
- EVa5I7bHFq9mnYK 4y ago
  TaxGPT is our last hope.
mrguyorama 4y ago
We should stop attempting to subsidize desired behaviors and punish bad behavior with taxes. It's dumb and purposely utilized to put holes in tax law for certain friends.

notch898a 4y ago

I can't think of a single person who wants taxes to become more complicated. How on earth does this happen? This overwhelmingly defies the democratic consensus, thus absent some special constitutional protections shouldn't be possible in a democracy.

fragmede 4y ago
Given that the more complicated taxes are, the easier it is for billionaires to hide what they're doing, pay less in taxes, and even get money back out from the IRS, along with giving accountants a job, is it really that much of a surprise?
ticviking 4y ago
Because we each individually like the small exemptions we enjoy better than we like the idea of directly subsidizing those things. My home mortgage deduction and the solar tax credits are great examples of popular policies that would need to be changed when we simplify the code

mdaniel 4y ago

I briefly actually tried to read up on the laws that governed me, since I once heard "ignorance of the law is no excuse" and also was curious what, exactly, it would take to really, no kidding, translate the tax code into python or Mlang (https://arxiv.org/abs/2011.07966 https://arxiv.org/abs/2011.07966 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=34579236 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=34579236 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=25208853 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=25208853 ) However, once I realized that -- as you said -- it's not just the law it's the court (and presumably IRS) rulings that supplement the law, that was too much for me and I noped out. My 2nd idea was to become an Enrolled Agent and then write up that experience, but I couldn't readily identify how much time and money that would cost

EVa5I7bHFq9mnYK 4y ago
TaxGPT is our last hope.

mrguyorama 4y ago

We should stop attempting to subsidize desired behaviors and punish bad behavior with taxes. It's dumb and purposely utilized to put holes in tax law for certain friends.