IRS Going Paperless?

[Midpack]

Yep, it would be as helpful and clear as the present IRS publications.

Just finalized my taxes this morning, it's ridiculous how complex they are, as you all know. I don't have much trouble with my background, but there is no way the average citizen could do this for themselves - what a racket. I wish I knew a way to get the electorate steamed enough to pressure our "leaders." Not holding my breath of course...

End of pointless rant!

 

[Texas Proud]

It's done that way in the UK, but their rules for individual taxes are a lot simpler. I think I'd rather stick with the present (bad) method than be forced to prove to the IRS that their figures are incomplete/wrong every year.

Actually, when I was in the UK I never saw anything about the taxes... the gvmt told the employer how much to withhold and it was done... bypassing the taxpayer alltogether...

 

[Texas Proud]

JMHO - if the IRS goes paperless there will be alot of people that just won't file, mostly lower income people. Hopefully they'll be smart enough to put alot of Federal deductions on their W-4.I was so iritated with Intuit/TT and now the IRS and Federal Govt's 4 billion page tax code, I had been thinking about going back to the old paper filing next year.
.

Most (if not all) lower income people do not even pay taxes... not filing will hurt them because they probably are getting back some refundable credit....

 

[jimnjana]

No, this return was confirmed by the AARP overseer, the representative in charge. It didn't make any difference to me, in so much as I was going to pay anyway. They just didn't want to print out a paper return for me to send in with a check. That would be paperwork. They wanted an efile and electronic deduction from my checking account. It was actually easier for me to do it this way. It's just funny in how they pushed you to do it their way. You had to pay by 4-15 anyway. I was prepared for this. Some people may not be.

Well, this is not an IRS policy. It might be a suggestion but bottomline the IRS just requires the return to be filed. Likely an AARP site policy because they do not either have the capacity to print additional returns or do not want to pay the cost of printing the additional returns. At my site it is sponsored by the Air Force and we get all of our support from the legal office on base. I guess the AARP site does not do ammended returns or has to deal with Military members who still qualified for first time home buyers credit, two examples of returns that must be mailed in.

 

[kaneohe]

It is my impression that e-filing is strongly encouraged by both IRS and AARP cost/efficiency. At our location, we also will not do paper returns. I assume that is the AARP (??) policy to "encourage" e-filing. We will do paper for the stuff that cannot be e-filed....I think 1040X is one of those.

 

[Alan]

Actually, when I was in the UK I never saw anything about the taxes... the gvmt told the employer how much to withhold and it was done... bypassing the taxpayer alltogether...

It's the same with banks, the taxes are paid directly, before you receive your interest/dividend. Charitable contributions are tax free but it is the charitable organization who claim back the refund. You donate $100 and they claim another $20 back from the taxman.

My sister recently began renting out a house she owns, and if the rents and/or profits are below a certain level she doesn't have to report it. Large allowances like this make the tax code easy.

 

[Independent]

IRS does provide a free way to efile: www.freefilefillableforms.com

You don't need to print anything out to snail-mail...

Thanks. That appears to be a step up from the IRS fillable forms (which don't do math, and don't support eFiling).

 

[JOHNNIE36]

jimnjana, in my post I didn't mean to imply nor did I say that the efiling was an IRS requirement. I am saying that the AARP reps were pushing it and were trying to get everyone to get rid of their paper returns. They did print out a copy for my records. There were six volunteers in the room doing returns and while the volunteer was reviewing my return on the computer I overheard other discussions about the paperless system and efiling, so I'm thinking this is really being pushed. It's just that last year I had my return done by the same group and don't remember "paperless" being pushed.

 

[jimnjana]

jimnjana, in my post I didn't mean to imply nor did I say that the efiling was an IRS requirement. I am saying that the AARP reps were pushing it and were trying to get everyone to get rid of their paper returns. They did print out a copy for my records. There were six volunteers in the room doing returns and while the volunteer was reviewing my return on the computer I overheard other discussions about the paperless system and efiling, so I'm thinking this is really being pushed. It's just that last year I had my return done by the same group and don't remember "paperless" being pushed.

Yes, guess that I read the "stressing going paperless" the wrong way. BTW we process over 1000 returns a year at our site and only a handful request to file paper vs efile. So it is not really an issue for us. I guess the title of the thread just hit the wrong button with me. Definitely not a fan of the IRS dictating how I/we file when they don't offer free filing for everyone.