this post was submitted on 19 Oct 2023
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Privacy
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Fuck that, I'll mail my taxes in if I have to. They tried to bring that shit into the IRS login process a couple of years ago and they wanted a full scan of my driver's license, front and back, and then a "video selfie" taken with a webcam. When the site tried to turn on my webcam I closed it and ended the entire process. I don't even remember what I was logging into their site to get, but I said fuck it and didn't get it and it was fine. I'd rather pay H&R block $75 to file online to avoid a government face-login.
I still mail paper for my taxes - partly because of shit like this and also as a fuck-you for the IRS to change their ways and adopt a better system (eg, the European system where you basically check a box if the amount you owe looks correct - they already know how much you paid so why all the mental gymnastics and instruction reading?).
it's not the irs' fault the "system" is as it is. they're limited to what congressional actions (laws and budget) allow.
i also still file through the mail because with no assets or investments and a low income, they're simple af to do. it rarely changes year-to-year except the figures from the tables.
I still file by mail because if somebody were to do something with my taxes in transit, it's a federal crime vs e-filing where everybody whose network it passes through gets a copy, legally.
If your tax preparation software is doing things right, SSL should ensure that networks along the way can't open up your taxes and take a look.
I should have said, "visible by all the 'partners'".
Speaking of which, apparently the IRS is testing a free online tax calculator
that does not sound very useful. we already have free fillable forms. It needs to automatically get the information from the forms we just data entry into our taxes.
That's definitely not how it works in all European countries. We have the same shit system where you have to calculate taxes yourself even if they already know most of the numbers.
And if it's wrong you need to correct it or get fined.
Perhaps one of the Nordic countries (don’t recall which ones). Anywho - sounded like a much better way to go for all parties.