The U.S. Should Adopt Automated Tax Filing Like Other Developed Countries
Source: Annie Lowrey. "America’s Insane Tax-Filing Process - The Atlantic." April 15, 2026. www.theatlantic.com
The Gist
America makes people waste time and money doing their own taxes even though the government already knows what most people owe. Other countries like Sweden and Denmark let people file taxes automatically in minutes, and we should do the same thing here.
Conclusion
The United States should implement automated, prepopulated tax filing systems similar to those used successfully in other developed countries
Premises
- The IRS already possesses the necessary information to calculate most Americans' taxes since 90% take the standard deduction
- Other developed countries (Sweden, Canada, Japan, Denmark, Estonia, Spain, Norway) have successfully implemented simple, automated tax filing systems
- The current system imposes unnecessary costs on Americans, who spend an average of $290 annually and 13 hours on tax preparation
- The IRS's Direct File pilot program demonstrated that automated filing works effectively, helping 500,000 households complete taxes in under an hour with high accuracy
- The complexity of the current system stems from political choices to embed social programs in the tax code rather than insurmountable technical obstacles
- Automated filing would be more accurate than current methods and ensure more families receive credits and deductions they qualify for
Assumptions
- What works in other developed countries can work in the United States
- Government-provided tax filing services would not create conflicts of interest or opportunities for corruption
- The primary barrier to reform is political resistance from the tax preparation industry and some politicians, not technical feasibility
- Simplifying tax filing is a desirable policy goal that outweighs potential downsides