Taxpayer advocate: Tax law is too complicated
The complexity of the code requires people to spend too much time on their tax returns, watchdog says, even though 90% use software or a tax preparer.
This post is by Stephen Ohlemacher of The Associated Press.
The nation's tax law is so thick and complicated that businesses and individuals spend more than 6 billion hours a year complying with filing requirements. That's the equivalent of 3 million people working full-time, year-round.
As a result, about 90% of filers will either pay a tax preparer or use a computer software service to help with their federal tax returns this spring, according to a report issued by an independent government watchdog on Wednesday.
"The existing tax code makes compliance difficult, requiring taxpayers to devote excessive time to preparing and filing their returns," says the report by Nina E. Olson, the National Taxpayer Advocate. "It obscures comprehension, leaving many taxpayers unaware how their taxes are computed and what rate of tax they pay. It facilitates tax avoidance by enabling sophisticated taxpayers to reduce their tax liabilities and provides criminals with opportunities to commit tax fraud."
Olson said the tax code also "undermines trust in the system by creating an impression that many taxpayers are not compliant."
She ranks complexity as the most serious tax problem facing taxpayers and the Internal Revenue Service in her annual report to Congress.
Momentum is building in Congress to overhaul the tax code for the first time since 1986. But Washington's divided government has yet to show it can successfully tackle such an issue.
President Barack Obama and Republican leaders in Congress say they are onboard, though they have rarely seen eye to eye on tax policy. They struggled mightily just to avoid the year-end fiscal cliff, passing a bill that makes relatively small changes to the nation's tax laws, opposed to a major overhaul.
"Our broken tax code has become a nightmare of loopholes and special interest provisions that create added complexities and costs for hardworking taxpayers and small businesses," said Rep. Dave Camp, R-Mich., the chairman of the tax-writing House and Ways and Means Committee. "Comprehensive tax reform will make sure everyone is playing by the same rules and help businesses create more jobs and invest in their workers."
Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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There is a saying going around that if you put three IRS tax auditors in a room with copies of one moderately complex return you would get four different audits back. I can believe it!
When CPA's and tax lawyers have to call the IRS for considered opinions on code interpretations then it is time to review and simplify the codes and forms. The Declaration of Independence of the United States and the Constitution with it's amendments, can be read and understood by by most fifth graders; why can't the tax code? Is it so much more important to the operation of this country that only tax lawyers and specialty accountants can tell you what it says?
This is just plain and simply wrong, and following a simple rule of engineering, if the structure is too complicated it will fail under it's own weight..
I’m not expert or mathematician, but I do way this all of this none sense. Put a federal sales tax except on food, medication even over the counter and anything related to health. If you can afford to buy a $120 thousand car you can afford to pay that tax. The poor only afford a 15 to 50 thousand dollar car, he pay less tax. There other detail in to this I’m sure. No tax filling on income over 250 thousand so you can get a % of this tax back. Anyone with income under maybe 80 thousand can get the tax back and the rest a % according to the income. No loop holes, no deductions except for business and that have to be work out different.
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