Originally published at: https://boingboing.net/2019/11/01/henhouse-foxes-r-us.html
…
5 Likes
I’m from UK but have lived in CA for past 19yrs and Tax Filing is one of the stupidest things we have to do, Obviously not if you contractor etc, but for most people it is.
In UK, at least when I left, you didn’t do anything, not even sign a pre-prepared doc. You employer, just well you know, took the correct amount in first place. Crazy system but seems work !
3 Likes
In the US at least, your employer can’t really take the right amount if you have any investments or a second job.
Oh Glitch, you’re still making things wonderful.
5 Likes
Or know the number of dependents you have, if you’ve incurred qualifying medical expenses, bought a hybrid or electric vehicle, took disbursements from retirement funds, made contributions to retirement funds from previous jobs, or…
tl;dr - US tax code is intentionally complicated and we merely guess what we’ll owe.
11 Likes
Have I mentioned fuck capitalism and fuck capitalists? Corporations too: fuck them.
13 Likes
When it’s all said and done, it won’t be the allowances afforded us by computer processors and the programs that instruct them that’ll blow our minds, but instead it’ll be the insane limitations placed on them by executives trying to corner markets.
1 Like
Do people not use free file? I do every year and just assumed its how most people in the U.S. filed their taxes?
3 Likes
Having literally just moved to the US this year for the first time, want to give a quick primer on how to use Free File?
8 Likes
It is still needlessly complicated, like ever single aspect of U.S. tax law.
The short answer is you file with intuit, H&R block, or one of the others but you go to their site from irs.gov/freefile and they don’t charge you. It is limited to those making < 66K, which might rule you out. their info flyer is attached
How to Free File Infographic_508 FINAL.pdf (692.8 KB)
4 Likes
Thank you; very useful. Note: If you want to print it out, it fits on an 8 1/2 x 14 sheet.
2 Likes
Knowing that Trump was here!? 
5 Likes
Gotta go where the Work is. Hilariously, though, the #1 response I get when I tell folks I moved here from Canada is ”Why?!” 
12 Likes
“No one dictates to the IRS” except maybe Scientologists?
So the IRS admits they’re ignoring the desire of the American people to have free, pre-filled tax forms.
1 Like
Imagine if people had the money to donate to public-interest orgs like ProPublica instead of wealth-extractors and wealth-concentrators like Intuit.
4 Likes
This is ridiculous… I ssy all people have access to all tax law and forms on irs. Gov… Now for those who choose not to learn it and use it but blame the gov. Who has made tax prep companys help you 4 free as well… Im saddend by the blame shifting and lack of effort. You can just print the forms n file. Its on you if u choose to do so and ur uneducated as to the current tax laws. Its not expensive to have your taxes done if u compare it to the cost of a mistake on ur own prep and return.
poe’s law for the win
4 Likes
Over look my spelling and grammatical errors… When people in a country like america become so confused they want to blame every authority that will not baby them by just excepting whatever minimal response or payment or either give all they can to them freely😕(assistance like medicaid is controlling the people below poverty more all the time) all they need or want no effort or even a printer included… Its easier to print a form 1040 than to b able to interview after you apply for foodstamps…frustrating.Oh you also have the power to cut ur hair by yourself 4 free along with other things lol. Let me know how it goes
i for one can’t wait till my cable company asks me to figure out how much i owe them. and the incredible, unnecessary bureaucracy that i’ll pay extra for so that they can tell me when i’m wrong. issuing me checks when i pay too much, bills when i pay too little, and occasionally auditing me and my life in depth to make sure they were right about their math.
but more. i cant wait for people to throw their hands up in defeat. saying americans are just not bright enough to come up with a better way to handle it all. and that we are all babies for dreaming that there’s a better way.
5 Likes
So we all need to get a degree in tax law, or we’re just lazy?
I think you’re underestimating the disposal cash people have to get their taxes done, as well as the time we all have to understand tax law, which is likely well over 1000 pages long at this point…
But sure, we ALL have the time to sit around reading up on tax code that’s written in legalese. We’ll get right on that shit. After all, we live to serve the government!
4 Likes
