If you think your taxes are too complicated, then Danny Vinik at The New Republic thinks you’re ridiculous:
A new poll from the Associated Press and GFP Public Affairs & Corporate Communications find some surprising results: Americans don’t think filing their taxes is hard. 58 percent of the 1,012 adults surveyed said filing their tax return was “very easy” or “somewhat easy.” Only 11 percent said it was “very hard” with another 27 percent saying it was “somewhat hard.”
Why aren’t Americans freaking out about tax day? Probably because filling out federal tax forms is pretty easy these days. 43 percent of respondents say they used a computer or website to do so while another 48 percent use a professional tax preparer. Only seven percent fill out tax forms by hand. And the vast majority of Americans (86 percent) are confident their taxes are correct. Just three percent are not confident.
He concludes taxes are so easy that Republicans are wrong to want to simplify them.
Of course, nearly 50% of Americans don’t have any federal tax liability. And millions use software or pay someone to do their taxes. Vinik, apparently, is one of them — or was up until this year:
@bdomenech This is my first year doing so. Do you think navigating the seven tax brackets is difficult?
— Danny Vinik (@DannyVinik) April 16, 2014
If even a “community catalyst” and “tent captain” at Duke University needs to hire H&R Block, that tells you something.
https://twitter.com/bdomenech/status/456239419927035904
47 pcnt don't pay taxes. “@bdomenech: Serious question to @DannyVinik – how many times have you done your own taxes? http://t.co/6BYAanqXfp”
— Jesse Clayberg (@ConditionFour) April 16, 2014
https://twitter.com/LorenAdler/status/456056872295202816
https://twitter.com/Libagno/status/456240002016346113
https://twitter.com/JGreenDC/status/456240009805185024
so simple even Tim Geithner can do it! MT @DannyVinik @bdomenech This is my first year. Do you think navigating 7 tax brackets is difficult?
— Prudence Paine (@PruPaine) April 16, 2014
https://twitter.com/bdomenech/status/456240522714415104
https://twitter.com/bdomenech/status/456241226673844224
https://twitter.com/JGreenDC/status/456241520597684224
Memories… RT @DannyVinik: @bdomenech This is my first year doing so. Do you think navigating the seven tax brackets is difficult?
— Real Rex Nebular (@RexHarrisonsHat) April 16, 2014
Vinik seems to be under the impression that Republicans’ complaints about tax code complexity center on the number of tax brackets.
@bdomenech You're not answering my question. My argument is about tax brackets
— Danny Vinik (@DannyVinik) April 16, 2014
@danrothschild @bdomenech Most of the piece was about brackets and how we don't need to condense them
— Danny Vinik (@DannyVinik) April 16, 2014
Daniel Rothschild of R Street Institute (a free market think tank) sets the record straight:
@dannyvinik @bdomenech When people say "my taxes are complex," they don't mean "this tax table is hard to read." You've burned a straw man.
— Daniel M. Rothschild (@danrothschild) April 16, 2014
Well said.
Related:
Donald Rumsfeld has ‘absolutely no idea’ if his tax return is accurate
Michael Ian Black rants about Greg Gutfeld’s tax day rant; Gutfeld responds
Show us the money! Homer Hickam wants people to see where their tax dollars go
