[jandrese]

How the hell can it take 7 hours to fill out the 1040EZ. The only people who can use that form are the ones with super-simple tax situations. Literally a W2 and maybe a 1099 from your bank. You fill in a couple dozen fields or so and punch some numbers into your calculator and you're done.

I can believe 7 hours for a 1040, because leafing through the 200 page instruction book is hugely time consuming and there is a lot of confusing stuff in there.

[blackguardx]

The IRS has to provide time estimates for every form they have. They even have to give you a notice that the paperwork complies with the "paperwork reduction act."

7 hours was the IRS estimate for the 1040EZ as of 2012. I understand it is down to 5 hours now. The 1040 long form is down to 18 hours. I don't do my taxes by hand anymore, though.