Re:IRS tests free e-filing system that could compete with ta...
by Rebelgecko on Monday May 15, 2023 @03:06PM
(#35953078)
Let's not let perfect be the enemy of the good here. Per the IRS's stats, 89% of people take the standard deduction.
For those who itemize, the government usually knows about most the things you're itemizing. I'm itemizing this year because of 3 things: taxes paid, mortgage interest, and charitable donations. The government already knows about 2 of those, so they could send me prefilled forms that are 95% complete (W-2, investment 1099, mortgage 1098, mortgage 1099 and other bank account 1099-ints, my form 5498 for my IRA, property taxes, etc). I'd much prefer only having to fill in my charitable donations. It would change a job that takes a couple hours into one that takes maybe 15 minutes.
For those who itemize, the government usually knows about most the things you're itemizing. I'm itemizing this year because of 3 things: taxes paid, mortgage interest, and charitable donations. The government already knows about 2 of those, so they could send me prefilled forms that are 95% complete (W-2, investment 1099, mortgage 1098, mortgage 1099 and other bank account 1099-ints, my form 5498 for my IRA, property taxes, etc). I'd much prefer only having to fill in my charitable donations. It would change a job that takes a couple hours into one that takes maybe 15 minutes.