A tax form could be a handful of lines long, if our taxes were structured sanely:
1. Write down your income
2. Subtract standard deduction and write down taxable income
3. Multiply line 2 by tax rate
4. Write down tax withheld
5. If line 3 is greater than line 4 subtract line 4 from line 3. This is the amount owed.
6. If line 4 is greater than line 3, subtract line 3 from line 4. This is the refund amount due.
A flat tax rate for all taxpayers and a standard deduction for all taxpayers would make filing taxes simple and would be better economically than the current system.
Make everybody fill out the 1040EZ, and be done with mortgage deductions, charitable deductions, depreciation, capital loss, child credit, etc.
There should BENO INCOME TAX FORM!
FairTax ABOLISHES: IRS! INCOME TAX! TAX FORMS!
And, April 15th will become a nice spring day, and a NATIONAL HOLIDAY: TAX FREEDOM DAY!