New push on US-run free electronic tax-filing system for all
Summary
The order came as part of the $80 billion infusion of money for the tax agency over the next 10 years under the Democrats’ flagship climate and health care measure, known as the Inflation Reduction Act , that President Joe Biden signed last summer. An analysis shows that Intuit, H&R Block, and other private companies and advocacy groups for large tax preparation businesses, as well as proponents in favor of electronic free file, have reported spending $39.3 million since 2006 to lobby on “free-file” and other matters. Federal law doesn’t require domestic lobbyists to itemize expenses by specific issue, so the sums are not limited to free-file. Rep. Jason Smith, chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, sent a letter to the IRS in March questioning Jurow-Kleiman’s ability to be an independent reviewer, saying her work indicates “a clear preference for an expansive government-run system.” Smith, R-Mo., said the selection of Jurow-Kleiman and New America shows that “the Administration has already predetermined that a government-directed e-file system should exist regardless of what might be found in a truly nonpartisan, independent, third-party review.” Jurow-Kleiman said the GOP pushback to her selection was based on an unpublished draft of an article about tax compliance costs and that none of her writings have “addressed the questions that we are assessing in the feasibility study.” Molly Martin, director of strategy at New America , referred requests for comment to the IRS, saying the organization “is still working on its report.” David Williams, at the right-leaning, nonprofit Taxpayers Protection Alliance, says the “government preparing taxes is problematic.” “The taxpayer is looking for the biggest refund possible, but for the IRS that’s not their job to look for the biggest refund for filers,” he said. “It is a really great way for government to better serve people,″ said Zucker, associate policy director for tax benefits at Code for America.