Public Policies

Although millions of Americans already have access to — and use — free tax filing programs, the IRS is piloting its own platform, Direct File. The new program is only open to a small percentage of Americans and will lead to confusion about who is eligible while creating a clear conflict of interest for the…

“Coordinating with states is a non-trivial undertaking and would require significant investment.” IRS Direct File: Independent Third Party Report to Congress The possible creation of a Direct File tax preparation tool run by the Internal Revenue Service faces multiple, serious technical and operational challenges, according to the Independent Third-Party Report to Congress prepared by think…

For many American taxpayers, their federal tax refund is the largest single financial transaction they will have during the calendar year. These taxpayers rely on their refund to meet their financial obligations, such as paying off bills, covering medical expenses, paying rent or meeting other day-to-day responsibilities. Accordingly, these taxpayers often file their taxes early…

“Return-free Filing” and “Real-Time Tax” Proposals Raise Serious Questions and Concerns for Taxpayer Rights and Privacy. The Congressional tax-writing committees – the Senate Finance and House Ways and Means committees – continue to hold hearings on all elements of the Internal Revenue Code, from marginal rates for individuals to corporate income tax rates, to tax preferences,…

The American Coalition for Taxpayer Rights (“ACTR”) is a 14-member national trade association made up of the nation’s largest retail tax preparation, tax software and financial institutions. ACTR believes that consumers should have the freedom to choose from a variety of financial products based on their individual situation and particular needs. One financial product that…