How about this: let’s go to a single flat rate for everyone and everything (say 20%) and eliminate all deductions except for a standard deduction (say whatever is the poverty line, eg $25000 or so). This would be for corporations and individuals.
Now your taxes can be filed on a postcard. And the IRS can preprint it and send it to you, with an online code or something to click “ok” on a web site and be done.
The government uses the tax code like a Swiss Army knife, trying to reward friends, punish enemies, encourage and discourage behaviors, etc. As a result we collectively spend millions of person hours and untold $$$ paying accountants to find and exploit loopholes and try and avoid undue attention.
Now your taxes can be filed on a postcard. And the IRS can preprint it and send it to you, with an online code or something to click “ok” on a web site and be done.
The government uses the tax code like a Swiss Army knife, trying to reward friends, punish enemies, encourage and discourage behaviors, etc. As a result we collectively spend millions of person hours and untold $$$ paying accountants to find and exploit loopholes and try and avoid undue attention.
Let’s just stop.