What's wrong with the IRS Free Filing program?

[ApeEater]

Republicans want to make filing your taxes more expensive

Republicans are seeking to shut down a free-of-charge online tax-return tool that has saved taxpayers $5.6 million thus far.

www.newsweek.com

House Republicans are proposing to end funding for a free-of-charge Internal Revenue Service (IRS) online tax-return tool which they claim "Congress has not authorized."

The move was made by the GOP-controlled House Appropriations Committee as part of its latest proposed Financial Services and General Government (FSGG) Bill, which also seeks to cut overall IRS funding by $2.2 billion below the 2024 level.

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Some on the right had earlier criticized the IRS Direct File plan, including David Ransom, a spokesperson for the conservative-leaning American Coalition for Taxpayers Rights. Ransom told the Associated Press it was "unnecessary," adding, "Taxpayers would be better served if the IRS focused on promoting the existing IRS Free File Program."

Derrick Plummer, a spokesperson for existing tax preparation company Intuit, called it "a solution in search of a problem" adding: "Every American can already file their taxes for free, without any cost to the government or taxpayers."

Taxes can be filed for free through the mail, though critics complain the forms are complicated, or by using the preexisting IRS Free File program, though this has strict income limits...

I'm all for cutting funding to the IRS, but why the specific callout making it so they can't implement a free online filing program?

 

[east_beast]

Because the tax industry is massive and I'm sure they're spending a shit ton of money to lobby against it.

 

[Chadwick]

Fuq,em!! And fjb!!

 

[holdmypocket]

Remember when that pile of shit healthcare.gov launched? It was a fucking nightmare. I pay for Intuit tax software for my consulting gig and my personal taxes, I never dreamt of using the free government provided solution that was probably rushed out the door, incomplete, and untested.

 

[Pt_Ranger_v8]

Remember when that pile of shit healthcare.gov launched? It was a fucking nightmare. I pay for Intuit tax software for my consulting gig and my personal taxes, I never dreamt of using the free government provided solution that was probably rushed out the door, incomplete, and untested.

I'm no fan of government solutions, but the biggest reason our tax code is so convoluted is because of companies like Intuit that make billions off of schmucks like you

 

[[486]]

nothing is "free"

 

[Void_of_Light]

I looked into it, you had to provide a whole list of data and sit through a video interview to be approved to use it.

 

[[486]]

I'm no fan of government solutions, but the biggest reason our tax code is so convoluted is because people can vote on taxation

fixed

 

[ApeEater]

I looked into it, you had to provide a whole list of data and sit through a video interview to be approved to use it.

That was during the beta testing. I believe they were opening it up to everyone this year.

 

[ApeEater]

nothing is "free"

Correct. Filing paper tax forms isn't free, either. From a taxpayer standpoint, it's far cheaper to let the taxpayer handle data entry than to deal with scanning and OCR processing paper documents.

 

[[486]]

Correct. Filing paper tax forms isn't free, either. From a taxpayer standpoint, it's far cheaper to let the taxpayer handle data entry than to deal with scanning and OCR processing paper documents.

making theft more efficient and painless doesn't feel like progress to me

 

[Grnjp92]

nothing is "free"

Agreed, however while you have already paid for it, paper costs a stamp.

 

[east_beast]

making theft more efficient and painless doesn't feel like progress to me

Hurting a lobby that actively pushes for the most complicated tax system possible does though.

 

[ApeEater]

making theft more efficient and painless doesn't feel like progress to me

Intentionally making it more difficult and less efficient doesn't either.

 

[holdmypocket]

I'm no fan of government solutions, but the biggest reason our tax code is so convoluted is because of companies like Intuit that make billions off of schmucks like you

I'm not paying a CPA $200+ every quarter to do what I can using (probably) the same software and also recommend business practices that aren't necessary for my situation. Nor am I spending hours every quarter filling out PDF forms, itemizing my expenses across my different accounts, and keeping track of my write-offs and estimated payments. If that makes me a schmuck then I guess so.

How do you do it, what do you recommend?

 

[Slander]

making theft more efficient and painless doesn't feel like progress to me

Just have drop boxes to put your wallet in so the thieves can collect there, that way you don't have to worry about the criminals having to use weapons to steal it from you

 

[Slander]

Intentionally making it more difficult and less efficient doesn't either.

The fact I have to guess what I owe them, while they know the exact ammount, and the fact that if I am wrong on my guess I can potentially get jail time is wrong and inefficient.

 

[[486]]

Just have drop boxes to put your wallet in so the thieves can collect there, that way you don't have to worry about eh criminals having to use weapons to steal it from you

rofl

 

[[486]]

Intentionally making it more difficult and less efficient doesn't either.

encouraging the growth of something you want to see less of isn't logical

 

[Pt_Ranger_v8]

I use freetaxusa, and kick $30 over to support them (you can file completely free though).

But I've only got retirement+ a paycheck.

I'd rather we had a flat tax, but I'm doubtful it'll ever be that simple

 

[holdmypocket]

I use freetaxusa, and kick $30 over to support them (you can file completely free though).

But I've only got retirement+ a paycheck.

I'd rather we had a flat tax, but I'm doubtful it'll ever be that simple

I’ll check it out. Thanks

 

[ApeEater]

encouraging the growth of something you want to see less of isn't logical

Encouraging a multi-billion dollar industry built around the complexity of the tax code is not the way to promote tax code simplification.

 

[SomeGuyFromOlympia]

anything the .gov gets involved with makes it worse (or corrupt)

 

[Ovrez]

I still mail my returns as I have for 51 years.

 

[Weasel]

encouraging the growth of something you want to see less of isn't logical

I don't get this logic, so continuing to use the current system of HR Block, Jackson H, TurboTax is better how? That you get to pay for a private companies services is making the "Tax steal" less of a steal?

Oh and "taxes are theft" seems just like the sovereign citizens screaming that the court has no authority over them as they are drug to jail.

 

[rockota]

I still mail my returns as I have for 51 years.

This.

Nothing the private sector does well can be done better by the government

 

[Texas97]

nothing is "free"

TINSTAFL, baby

 

[[486]]

I don't get this logic, so continuing to use the current system of HR Block, Jackson H, TurboTax is better how? That you get to pay for a private companies services is making the "Tax steal" less of a steal?

it's really simple and extremely widely applicable
reducing the inconvenience of bad things only serves to promote their growth

 

[RusM]

Because the tax industry is massive and I'm sure they're spending a shit ton of money to lobby against it.

 

[[486]]

TINSTAFL, baby

no huhu, cobber