IRS Extends Free File Tax Program Through 2029 (cnbc.com) 21
The IRS has extended the Free File program through 2029, "continuing its partnership with a coalition of private tax software companies that allow most Americans to file federal taxes for free," reports CNBC. From the report: This season, Free File processed 2.9 million returns through May 11, a 7.3% increase compared to the same period last year, according to the IRS. "Free File has been an important partner with the IRS for more than two decades and helped tens of millions of taxpayers," Ken Corbin, chief of IRS taxpayer services, said in a statement Wednesday. "This extension will continue that relationship into the future."
"This multi-year agreement will also provide certainty for private-sector partners to help with their future Free File planning," Corbin added. IRS Free File remains open through the Oct. 15 federal tax extension deadline. You can use Free File for 2023 returns with an adjusted gross income of $79,000 or less, which is up from $73,000 in 2022. Fillable Forms are also still available for all income levels.
"This multi-year agreement will also provide certainty for private-sector partners to help with their future Free File planning," Corbin added. IRS Free File remains open through the Oct. 15 federal tax extension deadline. You can use Free File for 2023 returns with an adjusted gross income of $79,000 or less, which is up from $73,000 in 2022. Fillable Forms are also still available for all income levels.
Free file different from direct file (Score:5, Insightful)
Free file is where some of your tax dollars go to create the bridges between 3rd parties and the IRS filing system. Direct file is the taxpayer to IRS direct system that we got a taste of this year. We want to keep on the direct file path, but the free file path helps breakup the larger entities out there that lobby hard to keep the return-free system from ever getting started.
Remember. The goal is to eventually implement the 1985 program that was pitched by Reagan. You get a card in the mailbox, you check the box if the numbers on it look good, you're done with taxes for the year. We have been fighting lobbyist for almost forty years who have continually opposed the IRS working directly with the public. The direct file system is the first time ever, the IRS has been allowed to directly process taxpayer's returns electronically. The iron fist is losing it's grip. Free file helps loosen the grip and direct file helps point us in the right direction.
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It's actually common practice in many countries where the tax form is automatically filled out for you and you just peruse it for any potential inaccuracies before it is filed. I know Japan does this for most personal income tax filing, and other countries have gone this route also.
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re: Time for the US to implement a Fair Tax [taxfoundation.org] or at least a Flat Tax [wikipedia.org].
I couldn't agree more. Getting rid of our current economy-sapping income tax system would cause the US economy to take off like a rocket.
Re: Free file different from direct file (Score:4, Interesting)
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Your informative comment has been very helpful to me. Thank you. This link in particular:
https://apps.irs.gov/app/freeF... [irs.gov]
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...and I'd be remiss when/if I forgot to cite this informative link, especially to non-Americans who aren't required to function with our unique level of self-inflicted bullshit:
https://www.nytimes.com/video/... [nytimes.com]
Again, awesome grandparent posted information linked-to above! Bravo! Impressed me and is very useful.
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Having to pay to pay the government (Score:3)
There must be a law somewhere that makes that illegal.
Re:Having to pay to pay the government (Score:5, Insightful)
That's the problem with using the subject line as part of your post. The subject says: Having to pay to pay the government
I think the AC thought thesjaakspoiler was saying it should be illegal to collect taxes, which is NOT what the subject and comment combine to mean.
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No one is forced to pay more than the cost of postage to file their taxes, the forms may not be available at the Post Office any longer, but they are available for download directly from the IRS website, along with the booklets with instructions on how to fill them out. The majority of the tax paying population can get by with the 1040 or 1040EZ, the latter of which is pretty much a fill in the amount you made, the amount you paid and check that against a chart of how much you owe, the difference between w
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There must be a law somewhere that makes that illegal.
Erm... that's called taxation, you got representation for it.
But I agree, surely it would be a wise and efficient use of taxpayer dollars to create a system to allow people to easily file their tax returns online that is free at the point of use? Why is the US pretty much the only developed nation that does not do this?
Free file (Score:2, Funny)
I'm glad my mugger was willing to waive his gunpoint fee, especially since he took my wallet.
Useless (Score:2)
Australia and UK have on-line systems which will bring in income records from the tax office and allow you to enter everything and submit online without paying a shekel.
Why not in the US ?
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Australia and UK have on-line systems which will bring in income records from the tax office and allow you to enter everything and submit online without paying a shekel.
Why not in the US ?
Because we allow corporations and the wealthy to bribe our lawmakers, we just call it lobbying. If, as a lowly poor/middle class citizen, we were to go into our state or local government building and try to pay one of our representatives to write and pass a law that benefits us or our interests, and we'd wind up in jail.
Not available in my state.... (Score:2)
Pre-filled almost accurate direct filling (Score:1)
EFTPS (Score:2)
My experience with the IRS and the Treasury Dept. on the simple task of changing what bank my tax payments get drawn from was such a gargantuan pain in the ass, that there is no way I am going to be doing my taxes over the internet with the IRS.
Their system simply did not work, their csr's are morons, they required a 2-week wait for a secret code to be delivered by USPS, then that didn't work either. In the end I had to have 2 different logins, where each login uses a different bank. It took like a month
The word of dread..... (Score:2)
"Coalition" Government project management of a coalition of partners on an undertaking this large does not inspire confidence. ... why not utilize them bo build out a more robust system with gov't support?
Companies like TaxAct are halfway there