Post B360C1AFNm37V55E12 by CivilityFan@sfba.social
(DIR) More posts by CivilityFan@sfba.social
(DIR) Post #B359qmJaCa1jkR07oO by futurebird@sauropods.win
2026-02-07T15:33:12Z
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If you live in the US you do not need to give $270 to turboTax or whoever. Especially if your income is one job with a W2.You can use https://www.freefilefillableforms.com which is run by the government and you can fill out the form on your computer. It has tips and help just like the expensive companies. The catch is you should start now. You will need to mail it in. You probably got your W2 from your boss this month. Let's break free! They do nothing to earn those fees.
(DIR) Post #B35A2su1XCoTedoojo by futurebird@sauropods.win
2026-02-07T15:35:24Z
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I thought I'd need to do the paper form but it's much nicer than I expected. A little intimidating, but there is nothing "complex" about my taxes. We can do this. Mostly what I liked about the software was it walked you through the questions. This is about the same. You get to make an account and can save your progress online and come back to it. Nice!
(DIR) Post #B35AR7AGA2GKpwxzZg by futurebird@sauropods.win
2026-02-07T15:39:47Z
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I've always found the mediation of "tax prep" services to be something of a scam. Do they "save you money on taxes?" probably not.But my bigger issue with these companies is they are all in the business of offering loans with very bad terms to poor people. They understand certain W2s are as solid as a check, yet they still charge absurd interest for advances. High rates on low risk lending because their customers don't have other options. I hate it.
(DIR) Post #B35B6usUEUAOtQaOjQ by futurebird@sauropods.win
2026-02-07T15:47:19Z
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@Chasteen IMPORTANT: "Despite the IRS axing Direct File, the Free File program remains in place."And it's basically identical to what online "services" do sans fee. Though I will be doing it early just to make it go smoothly.
(DIR) Post #B35BCm1E5DqV9eT0Fc by futurebird@sauropods.win
2026-02-07T15:48:14Z
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@Chasteen I might not have looked into this if I didn't read about them axing direct file. It's about cornering the market and just collecting fees for doing nothing.
(DIR) Post #B35BQxxmTFyEFncg3U by futurebird@sauropods.win
2026-02-07T15:50:57Z
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@Chasteen Am I out of line in finding it cartoonishly evil that Republican *want* doing taxes to be expensive annoying and painful so that people don't support raising taxes?And they are so open about it. "Oh that might making doing your taxes too easy" hence it's "controversial."
(DIR) Post #B35CPGb2K2QRQ0joCu by Moss@beige.party
2026-02-07T16:01:49Z
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@futurebird @Chasteen stemming from lobbyists for Turbotax and HRBlock pouring millions into those politicians. The amount of money they all stand to make (or lose) is staggering.
(DIR) Post #B35CgZwldAMkM89oY4 by futurebird@sauropods.win
2026-02-07T16:04:59Z
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@Moss @Chasteen It's really shocking how little difference there is between their service and this free website ... I'm kind of horrified and angry.
(DIR) Post #B35Cp2SnUTL37DAnDs by whvholst@eupolicy.social
2026-02-07T16:06:28Z
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@futurebird @Chasteen Alternatively, there is money to be made in tax filing software...
(DIR) Post #B35CrGh5YKldpUv9eq by saltywizard@beige.party
2026-02-07T16:06:52Z
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@futurebird @Moss @Chasteen 'horrified and angry' is my current baseline.
(DIR) Post #B35CuDTxwy0QjnBl6u by craignicol@glasgow.social
2026-02-07T16:07:23Z
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@Chasteen @futurebird I remember a while back someone was promoting a tasteless game inspired by the War on Terror. His justification was something like "In America, we're free to have an idea and make a profit from it". And that explains so much.
(DIR) Post #B35D2xGvaZcj4JG02K by futurebird@sauropods.win
2026-02-07T16:09:02Z
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@whvholst @Chasteen Why are so many US economic sectors just this kind of nonsense:
(DIR) Post #B35DMiqOwOsA74H7tw by futurebird@sauropods.win
2026-02-07T16:12:36Z
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@MonniauxD Nope. They killed "direct file" which was an even more integrated service. This website isn't that and that change will have no impact on it. It's been around since 2006 and you have not heard of it since they have no money to advertise but TurboTax does.
(DIR) Post #B35DZgsfYIPRmvWI3k by dgodon@mastodon.online
2026-02-07T16:14:55Z
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@futurebird @Chasteen they’re in cahoots with these companies to maintain this grift where everyday taxpayers subsidize the enormous profits
(DIR) Post #B35E4bUrcTPo4E7qbI by MisuseCase@twit.social
2026-02-07T16:20:28Z
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@futurebird @Chasteen This has another effect, which is that people with money, education, and time can take all these deductions and exploit all these tax loopholes, but people of lesser means can’t do that.
(DIR) Post #B35EiQHmikzQsdzlUu by Jshor@mastodon.social
2026-02-07T16:27:41Z
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@futurebird Don’t forget that a super complicated tax code means people with money can hire tax lawyers to ensure they pay far less than their fair share.
(DIR) Post #B35EjoEDBnEPQSz7rs by hopland@snabelen.no
2026-02-07T16:27:56Z
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@whvholst @Chasteen @futurebird I'm gonna go out on a limb here, but...New Public Management is a conjob designed to drain the tax payer AND make taxing painful in order to promote tax cuts for the rich and get rid of regulations by "ReGuLaTiNg ThRoUgH tEh MaRkEtS".It's by design, IMHO. One of the most successful neo-liberal psy ops in all of modern history.
(DIR) Post #B35FzcJfLTvl4Kdb6m by Nonya_Bidniss@infosec.exchange
2026-02-07T16:42:01Z
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@futurebird Here's another free option for those who don't want to tackle it themselves and they do the state return as well. It's intended for people over 50 with low to moderate income (not a strict rule). I've been using it for several years. https://taxaide.aarpfoundation.org/
(DIR) Post #B35GwYdAgufyixrloW by Bongolian@mstdn.social
2026-02-07T16:52:39Z
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@futurebird @Chasteen It's corruption, therefore it's evil. Intuit bribed trump with $1 million.https://www.yahoo.com/news/opinion-makers-turbotax-gave-trump-210621550.html
(DIR) Post #B35HQs1x7zy3ZwuaoK by AbramKedge@beige.party
2026-02-07T16:58:07Z
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@futurebird @Chasteen I'm getting ready to file US taxes, and then file UK taxes sometime after April. Talk about taxation without representation. The reality is they probably wouldn't even let me *visit* the US these days; as a former green card holder I can just imagine the interrogation. No, honestly, I really don't want to live there, don't want to work there. Just want to see my friends.I'll use the HR Block expat service. If you do your own (free) foreign bank account declaration, it's not a bad price. About a sixth of the cost of the accountant I used the first year when I had business taxes to file.
(DIR) Post #B35Mj3mEh1oyze3MK8 by whvholst@eupolicy.social
2026-02-07T17:57:24Z
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@futurebird @Chasteen Am not from there, so probably best for me not to comment on it.
(DIR) Post #B35PPd69xWsgbxnacq by michael_w_busch@mastodon.online
2026-02-07T18:27:33Z
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@futurebird @Chasteen "Party led by tax evader wants to make it harder to accurately tax everyone."
(DIR) Post #B35RMLzZIs44b3HW1w by HappytoBe@mastodon.social
2026-02-07T18:49:21Z
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@futurebird I thought Trump got rid of this!!!!! Happy to hear he did not. It's a great application.
(DIR) Post #B35cMhwqlnNKBjNiL2 by stevegis_ssg@mas.to
2026-02-07T20:52:42Z
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@futurebird Oh, your elected representatives 100% know that there is no reason whatsoever for it to work like this, and some of them occasionally try to fix it, but the owners of tax prep services and tax prep software companies simply buy enough legislators to prevent the system being changed, year after year and decade after decade.
(DIR) Post #B35jdTLH1lWvUSkKvI by spz@mastodon.sdf.org
2026-02-07T22:14:06Z
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@futurebird $270? that's robbery. I get tax software for German income taxes for less than €30, and no-one ever accused the German tax system of being simple and straightforward.
(DIR) Post #B35vR6iOWljlHxQo9A by futurebird@sauropods.win
2026-02-08T00:26:25Z
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@emlove Nice! I was worried that whatever they did to direct file might break that.
(DIR) Post #B35w2zGcfQFzC3VITw by futurebird@sauropods.win
2026-02-08T00:33:10Z
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@matt It's not just "one more year" the thing they got rid of was something else. This website and method aren't going anywhere.
(DIR) Post #B360C1AFNm37V55E12 by CivilityFan@sfba.social
2026-02-08T01:19:41Z
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@futurebird I was eager to file and get it done, not just because I have a refund coming, but also because it prevents anyone who has my info from stealing my identity and filing as me (not a big concern but not insignificant either). Mostly, though, I wanted to have it behind me because of medical issues that are pending and I don’t want to risk running out of time later being too busy with dealing with those issues. So on January 31st, the day that the IRS made 2025 free file active, I jumped in and completed it. Trouble was, my bank hadn’t sent me my 1099-int form, but I was able to add up the amounts from my statements on line for an amount. Filed the form, and the next day I received the 1099’s. I had added up my interest for my savings account correctly, but had forgot about a CD I cashed in. So I had to file an amended return, and then that had to be mailed in. Next year I’m waiting until I get my documents before filing. @Chasteen
(DIR) Post #B363iy5g8BQFO0Ll4q by Sylkykat@mstdn.social
2026-02-08T01:59:14Z
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@futurebird Just be aware that if you're mailing in forms, it takes a lot longer for getting a refund, if they don't lose the paper forms altogether. I had that happen one year.
(DIR) Post #B37ElnW7C2I67DE8n2 by mancavgeek@social.teamb.space
2026-02-08T15:37:38Z
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@futurebird And that's probably the reason none of this will change.
(DIR) Post #B39T4UAZ8dtHHosAaG by hotarubiko@infosec.exchange
2026-02-09T17:27:22Z
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@futurebird If someone wants to spend that much money on turbotax they ought to consider an accountant instead, who is far more likely than turbotax to find all the deductions and credits one is entitled to and is duty-bound to keep records confidential.