Intuit's Nine Lies Kill State E-Filing Programs and Keep
(C) Tax Analysts 2010. All rights reserved. does not claim copyright in any public domain or third party content. Intuit’s Nine Lies Kill State E-Filing Programs and Keep ‘Free’ File Alive by Dennis J. Ventry Jr. Intuit and its lobbyists have been telling elected Dennis J. Ventry Jr. is an associate professor of law at the officials, staffers, and nonprofit organizations serv- University of California Davis School of Law. ing California’s low-income communities. It also The author thanks Joe Bankman for his helpful com- evaluates Intuit’s proposed Free File alternative to ments. the state’s existing programs. For all of Intuit’s assertions — whether regarding the purported shortcomings of the state programs or the purported benefits of the Free File initiative — the article I. Introduction offers a point-by-point refutation. Under the auspices of the Free File Alliance II. Tracking Intuit’s Lobbying, Loot, and Lies (FFA), Intuit, manufacturer of TurboTax, has been attacking state-run, free e-filing services for several California offers resident taxpayers two innova- years. The latest victim, Virginia’s successful iFile tive, popular, and free electronic tax filing programs: program, succumbed late last year.1 Through it all, ReadyReturn and CalFile. Both programs seek to the unquestioned crown jewels of state e-filing pro- reduce the annual burden and anxiety associated grams — California’s CalFile and ReadyReturn — with taxpaying. ReadyReturn provides eligible tax- have managed to survive.2 But this year, Intuit has payers a partially completed state income tax return ratcheted up its annual campaign to end the two using wage and income data from a taxpayer’s Form programs.
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