4 ms·

A 1040EZ covers that case and filing it is the cost of the stamp and envelope.

Guvante 3y ago
The federal government can do a 1040EZ for you. Intuit has blocked government attempts to do that by offering free taxes for half of Americans (that was the deal). Of course they decided to renegade and only do 37% per their advertising. Hilarious since they had the "federal is free but you need to pay for state" scam going already.
plus 3y ago
My understanding is that if a 1040EZ is appropriate for you, then TurboTax will also be free. It's only if you have a more complex filing situation that they charge. Please correct me if I'm wrong, though.
- al_borland 3y ago
  It’s only free for federal, then they change you for state. I’m sure if they charged for both the final cost would be the same. They jack up the price of the state tax filing to cover the “free” federal taxes. This is how pretty much every “free” tax program works.
calvinmorrison 3y ago
And an understanding of tax law
- ghaff 3y ago
  I know the tax code has probably gotten more complicated, but when did people start to get the idea that even super-straightforward taxes (like just a W-2 or maybe a 1099) requires an accountant, tax software, or a degree in tax law? My taxes have been pretty complicated for a while but I don't get the perceived need for TurboTax for even the simplest of returns. Now maybe you miss out on some deductions if you just transfer a few numbers to the forms. But the standard deduction is going to cover most people until you get into big mortgages or charitable writeoffs.
  - calvinmorrison 3y ago
    because if you mess up, and most people doing a 1040EZ could, easily mess up, there can be consequences
ghaff 3y ago
There is no 1040EZ as I understand it though there is the base-level 1040.
technothrasher 3y ago
1040EZ hasn't been a thing since 2017. But if you have a simple tax situation, the regular 1040 isn't all that hard to fill out.

The federal government can do a 1040EZ for you. Intuit has blocked government attempts to do that by offering free taxes for half of Americans (that was the deal). Of course they decided to renegade and only do 37% per their advertising. Hilarious since they had the "federal is free but you need to pay for state" scam going already.

plus 3y ago

My understanding is that if a 1040EZ is appropriate for you, then TurboTax will also be free. It's only if you have a more complex filing situation that they charge. Please correct me if I'm wrong, though.

al_borland 3y ago
It’s only free for federal, then they change you for state. I’m sure if they charged for both the final cost would be the same. They jack up the price of the state tax filing to cover the “free” federal taxes. This is how pretty much every “free” tax program works.

calvinmorrison 3y ago

And an understanding of tax law

ghaff 3y ago
I know the tax code has probably gotten more complicated, but when did people start to get the idea that even super-straightforward taxes (like just a W-2 or maybe a 1099) requires an accountant, tax software, or a degree in tax law? My taxes have been pretty complicated for a while but I don't get the perceived need for TurboTax for even the simplest of returns. Now maybe you miss out on some deductions if you just transfer a few numbers to the forms. But the standard deduction is going to cover most people until you get into big mortgages or charitable writeoffs.
- calvinmorrison 3y ago
  because if you mess up, and most people doing a 1040EZ could, easily mess up, there can be consequences

ghaff 3y ago

There is no 1040EZ as I understand it though there is the base-level 1040.

technothrasher 3y ago

1040EZ hasn't been a thing since 2017. But if you have a simple tax situation, the regular 1040 isn't all that hard to fill out.