@ISIDEWITHQuestionseconomyStarted 6yrs agoActive 3mos ago

Should the IRS create a free electronic tax filing system?

In April 2019, Congress passed the Taxpayer First Act which made it illegal for the IRS to create its own online system of tax filing. The IRS system would allow taxpayers to file their taxes on the IRS website without having to pay to use private tax filing services or software. Tax software companies including the maker of TurboTax and H&R Block lobbied congress to pass the bill. Countries including Spain, Denmark and Sweden use a “return-fee filing system that gives taxpayers pre-filled forms using information from employers and banks. Proponents argue that the free filing system would save a collective $2 billion and 225 million hours in prep costs and time. Opponents, including Intuit the maker of TurboTax, argue that such a system would cause taxpayers to make mistakes in their fillings and end up paying more in taxes.

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Answer Overview

Response rates from 261 Philadelphia voters.

86%
Yes
14%
No
86%
Yes
9%
No
5%
No, but I would prefer to eliminate income taxes and abolish the IRS

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Other Popular Answers

Unique answers from Philadelphia voters whose views went beyond the provided options.

 @79TQH3C from Michigan  answered…4yrs4Y

No, the IRS should switch to a system of auto-completion of tax forms similar to other countries where the onus of completion falls on the IRS rather than the individual.

 @99QKJX3from New York  answered…2yrs2Y

Yes, as long as people have the option to use the traditional filing system

 @9WGS9N6 from Missouri  answered…5mos5MO

Yes, and tax codes should be simplified so regular citizens don't need advanced training to be able to accurately pay their taxes

 @9D74Y6P from Arizona  answered…2yrs2Y

No, but they should at the very least stop other filing systems from pushing their power and monopoly over the genre.

 @8TYH38S from Texas  answered…2yrs2Y

Yes, and use a return-free filing system like Spain

 @9PYFCGB  from Iowa  answered…9mos9MO

Even better, the IRS should send everyone a bill or a check in April 15th. Let THEM calculate our taxes, especially everyone who uses a 1040 or 1040EZ.

 @9M83JSX from Utah  answered…11mos11MO

Regardless, filing taxes should not be the circus it is now. The IRS is well aware of what most citizens make annually and know what type of filing to expect. Make it easier to file by following a method similar to what Japan does instead, or something of the like.

 @9DMXBB9 from Washington  answered…2yrs2Y

Yes, this will save time and money for the average taxpayer

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 @ISIDEWITH submitted…6mos6MO

CEOs Love Talking About Their Fast-Food Jobs

A stint in fast food is a badge of honor for business leaders who want to be viewed as humble and relatable—and proof that they worked to get where they areBut what does flipping burgers or rolling burritos have to do with running a company?A lot, say high-level managers who’ve done those jobs. Sweating in cramped kitchens and taking orders from hangry diners teach you how to handle pressure and deal with all kinds of people, executives say. Some are eager to find employees who hustled like they did, figuring someone who boxed McNuggets for minimum wage early on isn’t likely to be a quiet quitter.“Any job where you’re on the lowest tier is a really good job to have done in your life because it shows your character,” says Heather McLean, who worked at McDonald’s in high school and is CEO of McLean Forrester, a technology consulting firm in Illinois. “I always took the attitude to bloom where you’re planted so, yeah, I was just taking orders at McDonald’s—but I was really good at it.”Being a model employee is easier when you’ve got bigger and better career prospects ahead. Executives who worked in fast food say they learned empathy and gratitude by toiling alongside colleagues who didn’t have other opportunities and were trying to make a living at or near minimum wage.Fast-food kitchens were long among the few places where future CEOs and low-wage lifers mingled and learned from one another. And because just about everyone orders a burger or pizza now and then, the customer base is a cross section of the American public.

▲  2512 replies1 disagree

 @ISIDEWITH submitted…2mos2MO

Trump Pivots: "Pease Deal With Iran Now!"

Trump proposes a "Verified Nuclear Peace Agreement" with Iran, expressing preference for diplomacy over military action and calling for immediate negotiations.Despite advocating for diplomacy, Trump simultaneously issued an executive order reinstating his "maximum pressure" sanctions policy from his first administration.The sanctions campaign aims to completely halt Iran's oil exports, particularly focusing on exports to China, which currently receives about 1.7 million barrels per day.Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi responded by calling the maximum pressure strategy a "failed experience" while indicating openness to discussions about their nuclear program.The executive order includes reviewing and potentially rescinding existing sanctions waivers, including those related to the Chabahar port project operated by India.Iranian oil exports had previously dropped from 3 million barrels per day in 2018 to 420,000 barrels per day in December 2019 under Trump's first-term sanctions.Iran currently maintains a "shadow fleet" of oil tankers operating outside Western banking and insurance services to circumvent US restrictions.Oil markets showed limited reaction to Trump's announcement, with Brent crude dropping 1% as traders doubt the ability to completely block Iranian exports.Analysts suggest Iran could become a negotiating tool in US-China trade discussions, with China potentially willing to reduce Iranian oil imports as it modernizes its refining sector.Iranian analysts indicate Tehran would likely reject any agreement attempting to restrict their ballistic missile program, which they consider their primary deterrent.

▲  1510 replies