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up front Monday 17 april 2023
New push on U.S.-run free electronic tax-filing system for all

Continued from Front vices to taxpayers making
$73,000 or less.
Next month, the IRS will re- The provision that barred
lease the first in a series of the IRS from exploring a
reports looking into how it free-file system expired in
might be done. 2019, but the Free File Alli-
The possibility of an elec- ance agreement to pro-
tronic free-file system op- vide free services for low-
erated by Washington is income taxpayers remains
being celebrated by some in effect.
taxpayer advocates who Ariel Jurow-Kleiman, a tax
for years have said that law professor at Loyola
would reflect good gov- Law School, and the New
ernance and well serve America think tank have
taxpayers. Critics voice been selected by the IRS
skepticism about the IRS to conduct the congres-
taking on the dual roles of sionally mandated study
both tax collector and tax for the agency. Jurow-Klei-
preparer, arguing that the man said their mandate is
new service could create “evaluating the feasibility,
a power imbalance be- approach, schedule, cost,
tween taxpayers and the A sign is displayed outside the Internal Revenue Service building on May 4, 2021, in Washington. organizational design, and
government. Associated Press IRS capacity to deliver a
Robert Marvin, an IRS possible direct e-file sys-
spokesperson, said in an H&R Block. lobbyists to itemize expens- is a solution in search of a tem.”
email that a key goal of the Tens of millions of dollars es by specific issue, so the problem, and that solution But she has faced push-
study is to “look for ways to have been spent trying sums are not limited to free- will unnecessarily cost tax- back from Republicans
make filing taxes as easy as to influence policymakers file. payers billions of dollars,” who say she does not fit
possible.” on the issue, and lobbying Intuit has spent $25.6 mil- he said. “We will continue the law’s requirement that
“It’s important that Ameri- data shows that the big lion since 2006 on lobbying, unapologetically advocat- an independent third party
cans have choices that tax companies in particular H&R Block about $9.6 mil- ing for American taxpayers assess what it would take
work best for them when have spent heavily. lion and the conservative and against a direct-to-IRS to deliver a direct file pro-
preparing their taxes, An analysis shows that In- Americans for Tax Reform e-file system because it’s a gram.
whether it’s by using a tax tuit, H&R Block, and other roughly $3 million. bad idea.” Rep. Jason Smith, chair-
professional, tax software private companies and Derrick Plummer, a spokes- Starting in 2006, an agree- man of the House Ways
or free options,” he said. advocacy groups for large man for Intuit, said taxpay- ment between the IRS and and Means Committee,
But big tax preparation tax preparation business- ers can already file their some commercial tax prep- sent a letter to the IRS in
companies have millions es, as well as proponents taxes for free and there are aration companies, known March questioning Jurow-
of dollars to lose if the pro- in favor of electronic free online free-file programs as the Free File Alliance, Kleiman’s ability to be an
gram comes to fruition. Last file, have reported spend- available to some people. prevented the IRS from cre- independent reviewer,
year, more than 60 million ing $39.3 million since 2006 Individuals of all income ating its own free tax return saying her work indicates
taxpayers were serviced to lobby on “free-file” and levels can submit their re- filing system. In exchange, “a clear preference for an
between Intuit, the parent other matters. Federal law turns for free via the mail. tax preparation companies expansive government-run
company of TurboTax, and doesn’t require domestic A “direct-to-IRS e-file system agreed to provide free ser- system.”q

Trump raised $34M so far in 2023,

including indictment bump

By MICHELLE L. PRICE and tion Commission will show of charges and Saturday’s
JILL COLVIN he raised more than $18.8 filing deadline for the fund-
Associated Press million between his main raising report.
NEW YORK (AP) — Former campaign account and a Trump, who is also facing
President Donald Trump joint fundraising account several other criminal inves-
has raised more than $34 over the the first three tigations, has tried to use his
million for his 2024 White months of the year, the legal troubles to galvanize
House run since the start campaign said. supporters, claiming all the
of the year, buoyed by Of that total for the Jan. cases are politically moti-
a big bump in donations 1-March 31 period, $4 mil- vated. He has portrayed
since the announcement lion came in after Trump the New York charges as Former President Donald Trump speaks at the National Rifle
of criminal charges against was indicted March 30 by a “election interference” but Association Convention in Indianapolis, Friday, April 14, 2023.
him in New York, according grand jury in Manhattan on also suggested they may Associated Press
to his campaign. His total charges related to a hush help him win support. Until his indictment, his U.N. ambassador Nikki Hal-
after the March 30 indict- money case stemming Trump has dominated the campaign fundraising had ey, a former South Carolina
ment approached what from the 2016 election. GOP field in the early stag- lagged behind the massive governor; former Arkan-
he took in over the previous Trump began raising mon- es of the 2024 presidential amounts he used to raise sas Gov. Asa Hutchinson,
three months. ey off the news of his indict- race. But many high-dollar in days or in hours when he who announced days af-
Trump’s latest fundraising ment, and his campaign GOP donors have been was president. Only a few ter Trump’s indictment was
report due to be filed Satur- said he took in $15.4 million looking to send their sup- candidates have officially filed; and tech entrepre-
day with the Federal Elec- since the announcement port elsewhere this time. entered the race, Trump’s neur Vivek Ramaswamy. q