If the feds provide free forms, perhaps there are cost savings that could be implemented. We could go back to this simpler single-page tax form:
Posted on 04/10/2019 6:46:20 AM PDT by vannrox
Actual title:
Just in time for Tax Day, the for-profit tax preparation industry is about to realize one of its long-sought goals. Congressional Democrats and Republicans are moving to permanently bar the IRS from creating a free electronic tax filing system.
Last week, the House Ways and Means Committee, led by Rep. Richard Neal, D-Mass., passed the Taxpayer First Act, a wide-ranging bill making several administrative changes to the IRS that is sponsored by Reps. John Lewis, D-Ga., and Mike Kelly, R-Pa.
In one of its provisions, the bill makes it illegal for the IRS to create its own online system of tax filing. Companies like Intuit, the maker of TurboTax, and H&R Block have lobbied for years to block the IRS from creating such a system. If the tax agency created its own program, which would be similar to programs other developed countries have, it would threaten the industry’s profits.
“This could be a disaster. It could be the final nail in the coffin of the idea of the IRS ever being able to create its own program,” said Mandi Matlock, a tax attorney who does work for the National Consumer Law Center.
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I’m kind of torn Would I be better off with Turbo tax or should I trust the IRS!!!!!!!!!!!!( TRUST THE IRS)
Prohibit? Congress should make it mandatory!
The problem is they don't stay bought.
I'm given to understand that one has to pay the prostitute every time one wants a service...
This effort by Congress is not a slight at TurboTax's ability to help millions of taxpayers. TurboTax does an excellent job of guiding people through the complex tax system without having to hire expensive tax preparer's.
This is an effort be Congress to make it harder for folks to file. Period.
Why would they pass a law making it illegal for the IRS to have a free, online tax preparing service for taxpayers?
It's all politics. Nothing to do with good reasoning.
Is providing free online filing any less Constitutional than providing free paper forms?
Why would they pass a law making it illegal for the IRS to have a free, online tax preparing service for taxpayers?
I never get a refund. I file on the 15th and write a check. Last year I used the short form. This year we include SS payments so I don’t know if I can use the short form. We’ll find out...
If the feds provide free forms, perhaps there are cost savings that could be implemented. We could go back to this simpler single-page tax form:
I can’t find this alleged prohibition in the text of the bill. I do find the following:
“the IRS Free File Program shall continue to make available to all taxpayers (without regard to income) a basic, online electronic fillable forms utility.” [https://www.freefilefillableforms.com/]
...because we want the Feds to do something that makes it impossible for the private sector to compete and puts them out of business? Health care, anyone? Where does it end? I buy the software and file electronically. I get my return before the Feds can “think twice”.
The counter theory for this is interesting.
Supposedly the reasons the Tepublicans are on board with this is because of anti-tax support. If you make it easy and cheap for people to file income taxes then they’ll become more complacent and accepting of more taxes. Making it onerous is to keep the frustration level up so people fight back against oppressive taxation.
as do I. the cost is far outweighed by the certainty that the math will be correct, there won’t be dumb mistakes/omissions, and all the income sources and deductions are spoken for.
Have done so for at least the last 10 years.
Enter Income for the Year: $______
Send it in.
?
We've both drawn SS for ten years now but have never had any withholding taken out because I never know where our three businesses profit and losses will leave us.
I never know how much we make because we don't draw any salaries. We have lived quite comfortably off cash-flow for years now.
It used to take me a week or longer to do our taxes manually. Reading manuals, researching situations, figuring out the annual changes to the tax code. I can do my taxes digitally now in one evening.
And I always get a refund.
The administrative agreement being codified into law says, “During the term of this Agreement, the IRS will not compete with the Consortium in providing free, on-line tax return preparation and filing services to taxpayers.” - https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2002-11-04/html/02-27909.htm
You can contact the IRS with the same question about your tax preparation ten times and you will get ten different answers....from the same agency.
So much for interpreting the rules their way.
And I get to control my own destiny and not have to rely on someone else.
Think positive. It's a bipartisan initiative to protect profiteering by income tax preppers. When they should be passing laws to end extreme profiteering by pharmaceutical and insurance companies.
This is what happens when the gov says it's going to change things for the better.
Nothing is free, especially from the government.
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