For what it's worth, we've been able to file individual income tax returns in Australia for as long as I can remember (15+ years). For the vast majority of taxpayers (i.e. salaried workers), it's completely painless and MUCH better than the paper-based alternative.
I can actually make this comparison, because corporate tax returns still require paper forms.
Now I know the US tax system is much more complex, so take this with a grain of salt. But "free and government provided" doesn't necessarily mean "bad".
And if it were successful enough to drive TurboTax out of business, that would be a massive indicator of popularity and a net win.
I find it utterly absurd that the USA is beholden to this kind of regulatory capture. Forcibly preventing the government from delivering better services to protect an entrenched player? That's an absolute perversion of capitalism - I'd actually say it's reminiscent of communism more than anything.
I can actually make this comparison, because corporate tax returns still require paper forms.
Now I know the US tax system is much more complex, so take this with a grain of salt. But "free and government provided" doesn't necessarily mean "bad".
And if it were successful enough to drive TurboTax out of business, that would be a massive indicator of popularity and a net win.
I find it utterly absurd that the USA is beholden to this kind of regulatory capture. Forcibly preventing the government from delivering better services to protect an entrenched player? That's an absolute perversion of capitalism - I'd actually say it's reminiscent of communism more than anything.