The Icelandic government also pre-computes taxes. It takes me maybe five minutes to do taxes in Iceland and I don't even speak Icelandic.

Multiply that several times to do my US taxes and add some extra fees on top because I use tax prep software.

The really funny bit is I never owe anything in the US since I solely live and operate in Iceland so all that's covered by my Icelandic taxes, but as a US citizen I'm required to file regardless.

I know it's possible for billionaires to pay a lower effective tax rate (the percentage) than a secretary.

I wish we had raw data showing they paid less in the dollar amount. I believe this happens, I just wish we had a good idea of how common it is.

A billionaire paying a lower dollar amount in taxes than a secretary? Yes, I would also like to see data on that, because I doubt it happens. :P

The scenario does arise when we're talking about percentages, because billionaires make much of their wealth from capital gains and the like. But it's hard for me to imagine how the actual dollar amount paid could be lower.

I should have phrased this another way: I believe fraud happens.

> In Norway, the government computes your taxes for you and you can approve of their work by text messaging.

If you agree with the numbers you don't do anything at all.

In Sweden you have to reply if you agree as well, because otherwise they could never convict someone of tax fraud if the pre-computed data is missing some of your income, for example. (Well, maybe they could convict you, but it would be hard to defend that morally when they didn't even force you to acknowledge the numbers.)

Why would that be true? Law: "Thou shalt inform the government about finances that affect tax, or else be heavily fined or put in prison when we find out." No need to have this information duty tied up to the tax return.