Question : Do you know how Norwegians fill out their tax returns?
Answer : They don´t.
This is an oversimplification, but years ago Norwegians started to get pre-filled tax returns in the mail. Later they stopped getting them, but instead had to do an OK online. Now even that is not needed. No comment means it is is OK. You can rectify and modify details online, if needed.
The reality is that the government already had most of the data needed for most individuals. Your salary is reported by the company you work for. Your bank details, including anything you have in your accounts, any loans, stocks, bonds, etc., is reported as well. Your kids are known as well. There might be details to add, but most is known. Why waste people´s time filling out details that are already known and risk people making mistakes?
When will the US get there?
@jon Same here in Singapore. And if you want to make an amendment (like an extra deduction), you can log in to a webpage and fill it in.
I just checked with an Indian colleague, and it was explained to me that they do it the same way. The employer send the information to the tax authority and everything is handled automatically. India also has different states, and they manage to do it where the US fails.
I am glad to hear that. Hopefully the US can get there as well.
@properlypurple @jon Submitting it online is OK, I think. The nonsense the US people have to go through is absolutely insane though.
I do remember seeing my parents slave over the tax returns back in Sweden in what must have been the early 80's. That was gone by the time I got my first paycheck (probably in 1990)
Mark Nicoll 3.5%
@duckwhistle@mastodon.org.uk@properlypurple @loke @jon
We've had the PAYE system in the UK since 1944.
You just have to make sure the amounts on your payslip are correct, and notify the Tax man if not.
The US system is all about making money for accounting firms.