The Internal Revenue Service’s recent announcement that it will test a free tax-filing technology next year has been praised by Democratic lawmakers.
Along with 99 other Democratic lawmakers, Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Reps. Tom Carper of Delaware, Brad Sherman of California, Katie Porter of California, and Don Beyer of Virginia wrote to IRS Commissioner Daniel Werfel on Monday to express their support for “a strong tool available to as many taxpayers as feasible in 2024.
IRS To Launch Pilot Program For Free Tax Filing Tool
The IRS announced its intention — at Treasury’s direction — to pilot such a tool during the upcoming filing season after releasing its long-awaited report demonstrating the viability and significance of a free, government-owned direct file tool in late May, according to the lawmakers.
The IRS stated that it is taking steps to start a pilot project for the 2024 filing season in its report to Congress evaluating a free, voluntary, IRS-run electronic filing system for taxpayers known as direct file.
The tool, according to the lawmakers, will allow many hardworking Americans to claim thousands of dollars in benefits that have been overlooked by low-income taxpayers due to the cost and difficulty of filing a return, saving them the average $140 they pay to file their taxes.
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Lawmakers Advocate For Transparency And Accessibility
According to the survey, taxpayers would feel more confident submitting their taxes to the government directly than through a private tax software provider.
The lawmakers urged the IRS to offer this direct-file tool pilot to as many taxpayers as is practical so that it can quickly provide real value to American taxpayers, show the value of modernizing the IRS, and collect data to make improvements and better serve American taxpayers.
The average American frequently uses tax preparation services that ought to be free, are promoted as free, but are all too frequently not free for taxpayers, according to the lawmakers.
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