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Tuesday, April 18, 2006
Grassley to Everson: Consider Free Filing Through IRS
Finance Committee Chair Charles Grassley (R-IA) sent a letter to IRS Commissioner Mark Everson April 13 regarding online tax filing, and specifically, his recommendations for reforming it. While the IRS currently provides a free online filing service to qualified individuals (those with adjusted gross incomes of $50,000 or less) throught the "Free File Alliance," Grassley is "looking into allowing" the IRS to provide a free, electronic direct filing service to all taxpayers.
In the letter, according to the BNA trade pub, Grassley "urged Everson to rein in commercial offers and charges for basic services charged by the alliance, noting that a new staff analysis by his committee indicates some of the services are not free, and include hidden charges and 'get rich quick schemes.'" They indicated that some companies participating in the Alliance use the Free File web site to market other products and services. Grassley wants to ensure that these "free" services are really free, saying, "An underlying principle of the Free File Alliance is that no one should be forced to pay to electronically file a tax return. That principle has been and continues to erode."
Posted by Becky Lewis
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