Screw you guys, I'm going home

I'm a big computer nerd. I use computers all day long. I learn all kinds of new software just for fun. In general if I can solve a problem on a computer instead of away from a computer I choose the computer. I did my taxes by hand this year.

I started out trying to use e-file. I think the concept is great. Punch in some numbers, have the whole thing be automated. My tax dollars don't have to pay someone in the IRS office to transcribe my bad handwriting into their computer system. But after more then 20 minutes of slow page loads and asinine questions I didn't care about I gave up. I knew I could finish faster just filling out the 1040 form by hand and cut my losses. 20 minutes later (the same time it took me to get through the first third of the online thing) I was sealing an envelope and affixing a stamp.

It's not that computers aren't good way to solve the problem of doing taxes. It's just that all the solutions I've seen offered are terrible. I suppose there's a business opportunity in there, but it has the feel of a ugly area filled with regulation and liability risk. But I think the key problem are my requirements. Since my taxes only take me 20 minutes to do by hand and cost me 37 cents for a stamp any computer solution has to offer my a better value proposition. That means they either can't charge more then 37 cents, or have to offer me improvements on the current system to make it worth me spending money. But there's not a lot of room to improve upon a relitively painless 20 minute process, so it's a tough sell.

The result is for one more year I did my taxes the old fashioned way. Next year I'll see if the software has gotten any better, but I doubt it. Maybe in five years they'll get it right.

Still want more?
Read the Archives!