> Just a reminder -- since a lot of people don't know about it -- the IRS has had "Free File Fillable Forms" [1, 2] for many years. Everyone (no income limits) can use it to e-file for free.
I did not know that, thanks! Looking into it, according to Wikipedia it's "operated by a private organization, the Free File Alliance" [1], which is a "public-private partnership with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to provide free electronic tax filing services" [2]. The Missouri company you list is one of the "7 participating Alliance members" [2].
I honestly don't know what a "public-private partnership" means, or how that's different from the IRS just contracting a company to build a product. But it seems awfully integrated into the IRS's website, so there's clearly a "partnership" -- it can't be total randos (hopefully??).
I don't see any obvious red flags in the privacy policy, is there something to be worried about?
> I don't see any obvious red flags in the privacy policy, is there something to be worried about?
if you’re an idealist like me: you believe the tax code is needlessly complex, and that tax-prep companies like Intuit have a vested interest in keeping the tax code and process unfriendly. hence, you avoid paid tax prep services because you know a portion of your payment will go to lobbying a policy that is against your own interests.
but if IRS contracts with Intuit, then Intuit’s still getting paid either way; their lobbying efforts are still funded either way. any illusion of a moral high ground via self-filing is mostly gone.
Just a reminder, because even *less* people know. This is a third party service not run by the IRS. In past years it was Intuit, this year it looks like according to the site's privacy policy: https://www.freefilefillableforms.com/home/privacy_statement... that it's these randos out in Missouri: https://www.olt.com/main/home/default.asp