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The (fantastic) Reply All podcast episode #144, "Dark Pattern" covers tax returns.[0] In summary, the US government made a deal with private industry that as lo
by bcraven 3y ago
The (fantastic) Reply All podcast episode #144, "Dark Pattern" covers tax returns.[0] In summary, the US government made a deal with private industry that as long as that industry offered a free tier of tax returns, the government would never create its own tax filing system.
I wonder what has changed!
[0]https://gimletmedia.com/shows/reply-all/6nhgol https://gimletmedia.com/shows/reply-all/6nhgol
- digging 3y agoYes, I remember reading all about the for-profit tax filing scheme/scam on ProPublica years ago. Weirdly, I remember coming away from it thinking that the federal gov't had actually entered a binding agreement, so I thought it was illegal to make the move they're making now. I don't know where I got that idea and I'm so glad it was wrong.
- DANmode 3y agoThe free tier has never been universally recognized (for most, you can only file half of what you need to file for free), and users still pile into places like H&R Block yearly. People are less interested in important financial processes happening without their input. Public sentiment may have shifted far enough by now that the "duty" from that deal could now be considered derelict.
- nulbyte 3y agoFollowing controversy about the dark patterns tax preparers engaged in (thanks, ProPublica), the IRS negotiated a new agreement that eliminated the restriction on entering the tax prep software market themselves. https://www.theverge.com/2020/1/1/21045779/irs-turbotax-free-file-h-r-block-tax-preparation-new-rules https://www.theverge.com/2020/1/1/21045779/irs-turbotax-free...