In April 2019, Congress passed the Taxpayer First Act which made it illegal for the IRS to create its own online system of tax filing. The IRS system would allow taxpayers to file their taxes on the IRS website without having to pay to use private tax filing services or software. Tax software companies including the maker of TurboTax and H&R Block lobbied congress to pass the bill. Countries including Spain, Denmark and Sweden use a “return-fee filing system that gives taxpayers pre-filled forms using information from employers and banks. Proponents argue that the free filing system would save a collective $2 billion and 225 million hours in prep costs and time. Opponents, including Intuit the maker of TurboTax, argue that such a system would cause taxpayers to make mistakes in their fillings and end up paying more in taxes.
@ISIDEWITH5yrs5Y
Yes
@9KTMH6Q1mo1MO
The government already spends too much and has little to show for it. This would just be another endless spend and have inefficient results.
@9G8RX2C6mos6MO
Most kids just have parents that have failed to be present and haven't been taught adulthood i feel this would be best for them because its a way for them to learn along the way of filing their taxes.
@9FJDDRS7mos7MO
Most kids just have parents that have failed to be present and haven't been taught adulthood i feel this would be best for them because its a way for them to learn along the way of filing their taxes.
@9FB8LPG7mos7MO
Is it a coincidence just a coincidence that the companies who charge people to file their taxes are against initiatives that would make paying taxes easier?
@ISIDEWITH5yrs5Y
@ISIDEWITH5yrs5Y
No
@9KTMH6Q1mo1MO
Look at every government program and how it doesn't work yet costs so much money we as a country don't have.
@9FB8LPG7mos7MO
I think that the use of electronic information could potentially lead to more fraud due to the lack of real written documents.
@9FJDDRS7mos7MO
Although there could be some cons on free tax filing i feel this would be the best for kids who parents that have failed to teach them how to file taxes and the importance of it.
@79TQH3C3yrs3Y
No, the IRS should switch to a system of auto-completion of tax forms similar to other countries where the onus of completion falls on the IRS rather than the individual.
@99QKJX31yr1Y
Yes, as long as people have the option to use the traditional filing system
@9D74Y6PIndependent9mos9MO
No, but they should at the very least stop other filing systems from pushing their power and monopoly over the genre.
@SuperiorAntelopeDemocrat9mos9MO
TurboTax hires lobbyists to kill free tax returns, total rip off.
@9BWMNGVLibertarian12mos12MO
Yes, but I would prefer to eliminate income taxes and abolish the IRS (or greatly diminish its power).
@8TYH38SIndependent1yr1Y
Yes, and use a return-free filing system like Spain
@93NQ4DF2yrs2Y
@9CWCGZL9mos9MO
Eliminate the income tax and add a VAT tax to all goods and services. This would ensure everyone pays their fair share. The more you spend the more you pay. You could exempt food and medicine. Or you could exempt the first 25000 of income through a rebate to every person. This would encourage those who work under the table to come out from the shadows and claim their income. If they did not they still would pay the VAT tax on all goods and services including the first 25000 they earn.
@RepublicLemurSocialist9mos9MO
A VAT tax can be regressive, i.e., it can disproportionately affect lower-income individuals or families. For instance, while high-income earners can save or invest a larger proportion of their income, lower-income individuals often have to spend a larger part, if not all, of their income on basic goods and services, even if food and medicine are exempt. This could mean they end up paying a higher proportion of their income in taxes compared to wealthier individuals.
A rebate of $25,000 of income could help mitigate this to some extent, it also assumes that all individuals and families have stable, predictable incomes. In reality, many people, especially those working in the gig economy or other informal sectors, have irregular incomes that can fluctuate widely from month to month.
@9LJJY8L2wks2W
Malfunctions in algorithms could cause inaccuracy in the filing of ordinary values that aren’t calculated through an equation, and in values where equations are concerned. This could lead to the government giving unjustified penalties to taxpayers in areas where they hadn’t truly made a mistake, or failed to pay in time.
@9KTZF921mo1MO
Yes. Anything to make it easier/cheaper for people to do their taxes. Also, maybe stop tax firms from lobbying for more complicated tax laws deterring people from doing their own taxes and making people think the IRS is the issue both to increase their revenue (yeh, yeh 1st amendment I know.)
@9JTJWZ5 2mos2MO
No. I'm semi-in favor of abolishing the IRS, but there is a catch. The corruption will go even deeper. Politicians (whether they preach being pro- or anti-IRS) have sent a portion of our tax dollars to Israhell.
The government should stop accepting lobbying from tax filing companies and instead should file our taxes for us.
@9JJ82N23mos3MO
I think that if they are able to work the system to negate the ability to overpay then it would be a smart ideas especially with most of the world's functions being digital now.
@8K8QNSRIndependent4yrs4Y
The IRS already has a free electronic tax filing system.
@ZEKECMEBANE4yrs4Y
Yes, but I would prefer to eliminate income tax for those who make less than $100,000/year and abolish the IRS
@8K7ZX2GProgressive4yrs4Y
Yes, rather than making companies create their own free system. There should be a direct IRS system.
@8K3Z8724yrs4Y
Tax code needs to be simplified.
@8K3GJKS4yrs4Y
Yes, as long as it is secure and demonstrably so.
@8K2TYM2Republican4yrs4Y
No. There is no way to ensure the security of any electronic system.
@8K2RNV64yrs4Y
This technology exists, and was offered to be developed by the IRS. TurboTax and similar companies offered to develop it with the caveat that they would provide it for free. However, they have made it impossible to find on their website, but it does exist.
@8JYB7ZC4yrs4Y
We should stay with the tax system that we already have.
@8JVF49Z4yrs4Y
Yes, but I would prefer to reduce income taxes and abolish the IRS
@8JSS8P84yrs4Y
Yes as long as it is secure so there is no fraud
@8JPLSKV4yrs4Y
Yes, but with clear instructions and explanations on them.
@8JPC5XT4yrs4Y
HR departments of the company you work for should be required to submit your taxes and either add refunds or deduct more from your paycheck as needed.
@8JMHS844yrs4Y
Yes but income taxes should be lowered
not informed enough to have an opinion
@8JJM7J64yrs4Y
I do not have enough information to give a opinion.
@8JH7FY24yrs4Y
Yes until we eliminate the income tax and irs
@8JGBKC24yrs4Y
Yes, but let people choose if they want to use it or the current way it's done.
@8JFW76Y4yrs4Y
There already is one, but it needs to be reformed. It’s outdated and hard to use
@8JFBLKH4yrs4Y
I suggest a flat tax rate, no refunds to much give and take.
@8JD5DGG4yrs4Y
As long as it's voluntary
@8JBSWQ2Republican4yrs4Y
Yes, but I would prefer to eliminate income taxes and abolish the IRS
@8J9JS484yrs4Y
Yes, but I would prefer to eliminate all income tax and abolish the IRS
@8J97ND64yrs4Y
yes, , but I would prefer to eliminate income taxes and abolish the IRS
@8J74BBZ4yrs4Y
Need to study this more
@8J3PQXNRepublican4yrs4Y
I thought there already was one
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