Filing Tax Returns
Imagine filing your income taxes in five minutes — for free! You'd open up a pre-filled return, see what the government thinks you owe, make any needed changes and be done. The miserable, annual IRS shuffle, gone.
This is a reality in places like Denmark, Sweden, and Spain. Government-prepared returns would estimate your taxes using information provided by your employer and bank, rather than coming to you as a tax form. Advocates say tens of millions of taxpayers could use such a system each year, saving them a collective $2 billion and 225 million hours in prep costs and time, according to one estimate.*
What steps can we take towards achieving a system like this? Well, for starters, we can avoid TurboTax (who lobbied to keep filing difficult, fuck them!). Second, we can divert our resources towards alternative tax filing companies. Third, we can start a conversation about ways to reform the US Tax Code and push our members of congress to make it happen.
Check out our filing resources:
On-line Filing
MyFreeTaxes: On-line filing for free (for anyone earning less than $58,000 per year.)
IRS: File Federal Tax Return through the IRS directly. (Free for income below $60,000.) Many of the software
companies charge for the state return, so beware of that.
1040: Easy on-line tax filing software service powered by Drake, tailored for home use. (Available for all income levels.)
(80% of the preparation fees from returns prepared through this link are donated to The Lorax Project. )
In-Person Filing
EKS: Earn It Keep It Save It offers free in-person filing assistance within California's Bay Area. (income must be below $53,000)
IRS: The IRS searches for free in-person tax assistance preparation options in your area. (income must be below $53,000)
Make more than $53k per year? find a local Enrolled Agent to help you out!
Or use the banner below to prepare your taxes on-line:
This is a reality in places like Denmark, Sweden, and Spain. Government-prepared returns would estimate your taxes using information provided by your employer and bank, rather than coming to you as a tax form. Advocates say tens of millions of taxpayers could use such a system each year, saving them a collective $2 billion and 225 million hours in prep costs and time, according to one estimate.*
What steps can we take towards achieving a system like this? Well, for starters, we can avoid TurboTax (who lobbied to keep filing difficult, fuck them!). Second, we can divert our resources towards alternative tax filing companies. Third, we can start a conversation about ways to reform the US Tax Code and push our members of congress to make it happen.
Check out our filing resources:
On-line Filing
MyFreeTaxes: On-line filing for free (for anyone earning less than $58,000 per year.)
IRS: File Federal Tax Return through the IRS directly. (Free for income below $60,000.) Many of the software
companies charge for the state return, so beware of that.
1040: Easy on-line tax filing software service powered by Drake, tailored for home use. (Available for all income levels.)
(80% of the preparation fees from returns prepared through this link are donated to The Lorax Project. )
In-Person Filing
EKS: Earn It Keep It Save It offers free in-person filing assistance within California's Bay Area. (income must be below $53,000)
IRS: The IRS searches for free in-person tax assistance preparation options in your area. (income must be below $53,000)
Make more than $53k per year? find a local Enrolled Agent to help you out!
Or use the banner below to prepare your taxes on-line:
(80% of the preparation fees from returns prepared through this link benefit The Lorax Project.)
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