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Why does it cost money to efile?

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sfsuphysics

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Can someone explain this to me? I get TurboTax or other tax prep guys charging money, they're a business not a charity. But I can print out all the PDF files from doing my tax forms, stick them in an envelope and send them to the state franchise tax board, why can't I just upload/email those same exact PDF files to the tax board? Is there some tinfoil hat conspiracy thing going on with tax prep companies making sure you can't do that so they can make more money? Or are states just that far behind the times?
 
$$$

That is all.

But yes, TT and others spend millions a year on lobbying to make sure they stay relevant because as you pointed out, those companies aren't necessary. I ditched TT last year and went with a personal accountant and have no regrets.
 
sfsuphysics said:
Can someone explain this to me? I get TurboTax or other tax prep guys charging money, they're a business not a charity. But I can print out all the PDF files from doing my tax forms, stick them in an envelope and send them to the state franchise tax board, why can't I just upload/email those same exact PDF files to the tax board? Is there some tinfoil hat conspiracy thing going on with tax prep companies making sure you can't do that so they can make more money? Or are states just that far behind the times?
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They are in the buusiness to make money hehe. The federal filing is free through Taxact/Turbotax etc but they charge for state. California offers a free efile option for state taxes through the FTB website but I think only for short form filers vs itemized.
 
Da_Neefer said:
They are in the buusiness to make money hehe. The federal filing is free through Taxact/Turbotax etc but they charge for state. California offers a free efile option for state taxes through the FTB website but I think only for short form filers vs itemized.
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Yeah, I get why Turbo Tax & others do it, it just seems silly that you can't upload it directly to the state. I did look at the FTB for California, and yeah it's confusing AF. Like I would like to see a big fat button "Upload PDF files that you would normally print out" and call it a day. But no they only accept this or that, and I don't get it if they need to read stuff that I physically print out and stick in the mail for them why can't they just read that same exact stuff on a monitor that I email/upload to them since obviously someone already does that when there's a fricking paid eFile from TurboTax et.al!!!
 
sfsuphysics said:
Yeah, I get why Turbo Tax & others do it, it just seems silly that you can't upload it directly to the state. I did look at the FTB for California, and yeah it's confusing AF. Like I would like to see a big fat button "Upload PDF files that you would normally print out" and call it a day. But no they only accept this or that, and I don't get it if they need to read stuff that I physically print out and stick in the mail for them why can't they just read that same exact stuff on a monitor that I email/upload to them since obviously someone already does that when there's a fricking paid eFile from TurboTax et.al!!!
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Uhh it's CA. The same state that paid out something like $40+ billion in fraudulent pandemic unemployment benefits to incarcerated individuals and foreign scam artists with famous names like Nancy Pelosi. LOL

The website does import some info from the last year (if you've used it before) but yeah you have to fill out their web forms manually
 
sfsuphysics said:
Yeah, I get why Turbo Tax & others do it, it just seems silly that you can't upload it directly to the state. I did look at the FTB for California, and yeah it's confusing AF. Like I would like to see a big fat button "Upload PDF files that you would normally print out" and call it a day. But no they only accept this or that, and I don't get it if they need to read stuff that I physically print out and stick in the mail for them why can't they just read that same exact stuff on a monitor that I email/upload to them since obviously someone already does that when there's a fricking paid eFile from TurboTax et.al!!!
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Human reading them? Nahh, they feed them into a scanner, and let computer do it.
Which of course, makes it even more absurd to print and mail.

The whole thing is absurd for most people. The govt has all the info from the banks, and actually runs a tax program to make sure you did it right.

Only people that get forced to upgrade to turbotax premier should have to really do tax returns.
Don't get me started on that bait and switch scam!
 
You probably need to pay a fee as you are eliminating a Government Job. It's the same with the dang DMV.
 
I renew my registration via the mail and make sure I staple the forms just because they charge to run a debit card online. Need to keep Californians Working.
 
Same reason ticketmaster used to charge for "print at home" and now charges for "mobile tickets" because they can!

Fwiw, I believe you can do an e-check online for DMV without a charge.
 
rygh said:
Human reading them? Nahh, they feed them into a scanner, and let computer do it.
Which of course, makes it even more absurd to print and mail.
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Reminds me of a time I had a client print out an Excel sheet and fax it to us, which then our office admin scanned it as a pdf :rolleyes: This was ~2009 so not even that old!


I do see government agencies investing more into their web interface and payment processing. IRS, FTB, prop tax, even the DMV have come a long way in the last decade when they charged for e-check but it was free to mail in a check for human processing.
 
Funny thing...
I moved buildings at work, and accidentally left all my pens/pencils in the drawer in my old office.
Never noticed for a while, and even then never bothered to get some new ones.
Until .... To change the preset on my desk height, you need a pen to press the special tiny save button.

Techie vs DMV....
 
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