A History of Failed Free Filing AlternativesIf you haven’t heard of the Free File Alliance before, you’re certainly not alone. [3]The Free File Alliance is a private-public partnership first established in 2003 with the aim of providing Americans access to free online tax filing, using existing free-market technology. While the commercial applications were advertised as “free” (such as TurboTax’s “Free Edition”, which often made people pay[6]), the genuine Free File options were obscured through confusing naming conventions and hidden locations (TurboTax’s Free File service, was labeled the “Freedom Edition”, and was not accessible via the main TurboTax website[7]). Evaluating Cyber and Privacy Tax Filing RisksTo understand the risks that come with filing tax returns, we need to look at what actually hurts taxpayers. The Direct File system offers several compelling advantages that align with our priorities for a safe and efficient tax filing process.

Source: Washington Post February 05, 2024 18:24 UTC