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by Johnny555 1169 days ago
The idea their taxes should have mistakes more than average seems a bit far-fetched to me.

I used to file my return electronically, a lot of my forms were downloaded electronically so I didn't even have to type in most data. Now I use an accountant (who I assume uses even better software than I do).

What part of "single mom with a couple part time jobs" makes you think that she's perfect at transcribing data and calculating values?
2 comments
prepend 1169 days ago
What makes you think she’s any worse at cutting and pasting than a non single mom?

Standard deduction EITC does not involve many calculations even if someone uses the paper form and does it all manually. But most people are using the free tax services made for low income filers.

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Johnny555 1169 days ago
>What makes you think she’s any worse at cutting and pasting than a non single mom?

I don't - I think she's worse and manually copy and writing down the numbers than automated software or a professional accountant.

Cut and paste? Why do you think that she has a computer and her employer gave her access to an electronic portal where she can download her W-2's? My niece is that single-mom with 2 jobs (actually it was 4 jobs, not all at the same time). Last time I helped her with taxes, one of her w-2's was handwritten from her employer.

>EITC does not involve many calculations

But why force her to do any calculations or transcription of numbers at all when the IRS already has them?

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kelnos 1169 days ago
The mere fact that there are any calculations to be made, simple or complicated, means that some people will make mistakes. That's a fact of life.
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prepend 1169 days ago
Of course, but I don’t think single moms are more likely to make mistakes than others.
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Johnny555 1168 days ago
Compared to married moms? Maybe not. Compared to accountants, paid tax preparers, or e-filing software that imports the tax forms? Then most likely yes.
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notch898a 1169 days ago
Your thesis is the taxes aren't worse, it's that you think the poors are too dumb to go to freetaxusa or something where basically all they have to do is copy and paste the data from their W2?
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