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Video by Johnny Harris and Binyamin Appelbaum

Mr. Harris is a video journalist. Mr. Appelbaum is a member of the editorial board.

It’s the most miserable time of the year: tax season.

Americans are about to spend millions of hours and billions of dollars filing their federal income taxes, and they are pretty sure they know who is responsible for their pain: The misanthropes at the Internal Revenue Service.

But we’re here to convince you that the I.R.S. is not the problem.

Yes, it should be easy to file taxes. And yes, it should be free. That’s how it works in the rest of the developed world, and it could very easily work that way here, too. It is absurd that America’s tax system is so antiquated and complicated that most people must pay someone else to help them pay the government.

So what is standing in the way of progress?

Watch.

Johnny Harris is a video journalist.

Opinion Video combines original reporting with creative storytelling to produce visually transformative commentary. Pitch a video Guest Essay here.

The Times is committed to publishing a diversity of letters to the editor. We’d like to hear what you think about this or any of our articles. Here are some tips. And here’s our email: letters@nytimes.com.

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Binyamin Appelbaum is the lead writer on economics and business for the Times editorial board. He is based in Washington. @BCAppelbaum • Facebook

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QOSHE - There’s a Tax Season Villain, and It’s Not the I.R.S. - Binyamin Appelbaum
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There’s a Tax Season Villain, and It’s Not the I.R.S.

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06.02.2024

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Supported by

Video by Johnny Harris and Binyamin Appelbaum

Mr. Harris is a video journalist. Mr. Appelbaum is a member of the editorial board.

It’s the most miserable time of the year: tax season.

Americans are about to spend millions of hours and billions of dollars filing their federal income taxes, and they are pretty sure they know who is responsible for their pain: The misanthropes at the Internal Revenue........

© The New York Times


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