Taxes Take Longer Because of Complex Forms

They're made that way on purpose. * doesn't want the average Joe gatting these breaks.

By MARY DALRYMPLE, AP Tax Writer

WASHINGTON - Taxpayers working feverishly to meet the April 15 filing deadline can take some comfort knowing they are not alone when it comes to scratching their heads over this year's forms. Tax returns are getting more complicated.


The government estimates that the average taxpayer filing a typical tax return with itemized deductions and income from interest, capital gains and dividends, has to spend 42 minutes more than last year doing the math and paperwork.


The total estimated time to finish these common forms is 28 hours and 30 minutes.


It is not only frustrating, but economically counterproductive, said David Keating, senior counselor for the National Taxpayers Union and author of a new study on tax complexity.


"This is something that hobbles the nation's productivity because we have a lot of very talented people filling out paperwork," he said. "It's a real deadweight in our economy."


Even the simplest Form 1040EZ tax return takes 3 hours and 43 minutes to complete.

-more-

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=530&e=3&u=/ap/20040415/ap_on_bi_ge/taxes_complexity

What...Fill out a line, take a drink, fill out another line, take ANOTHER drink?

Freaking propaganda fron HR Block-head.

look, I used Tele-file, the over-the-phone version of 1040EZ? and I think I was on the phone MAYBE 12 minutes...The year before I filed a paper 1040A and it took me 20 minutes...OK that's not true, it took 20 minutes to do BOTH the 1040 AND my state tax form...

I'm no math whiz, hell, I couldn't even get through high school Algebra...

It's all a PLOT to keep HRB and Jackson Hewitt loaded with customers.

Almost 4 hours to do a 1040EZ....Yeah, if you're an Anglo and you got the Spanish 1040 by mistake I could see that....

individual return runs 3 to 4 hours if the data is at hand.

The time spent beyond that is getting the data, getting facts, from partnerships/corporations that accomplish what you want in the main return - and the tax planning to get to the tax you want to pay.

It can many man hours/months to set up all the tax facts /partnerships/corporations/ money transfers with backup paper that are needed - but the return is no big deal.

Wonder how much those companies donate to the RNC?

Their TV ads are ridiculous too. For as long as I can remember, I've seen the ads with pencils snapping, ruffled hair, loosened ties, Spouses in the next room with "Oh shit, we're going to PRISON!" looks on their faces...

I don't get it. Gather the W-2's, the 1099A's, all the other forms you get from your financial institutions, have a RELIABLE calculator, extra forms, a BIG pencil eraser (!) and while some quiet is good, you don't need the "cut the kid's throats if they so much as belch" bullshit like on TV...

When I was married, my Ex's accountant did our taxes as a "perk" of having her business "business". I'd go over the forms, and you know what? There ain't no "secret" deductions that you won't find on your own (unless you don't read the instructions)

But then, if everyone breezed through their tax forms, that'd bust my thesis for this being the stupidest nation on Earth, wouldn't it?

:)

dp

do my taxes and my husband is self-employed, so we have schedule C and self-employment tax forms, etc. I use Turbo Tax and file on line. BUT, they must be factoring in the time it takes to make sure you have all your papers in order. You've got to have your papers in order whether or not you use a tax preparation service or do the taxes yourself.

I'm not arguing that taxes couldn't be made a lot simpler, though.