Trump's IRS is shuffling forms, information all over the place

[bucolic_frolic]

Last edited Mon Feb 24, 2020, 08:07 AM - Edit history (1)

Every year the blue 1040s are different in number and content. I file Schedule D, you could always if your information on 1099 was simple just enter the 1099-aggregated amounts on 2 lines - long and short term. Well you can still do that, but it took me 2 hours to find out because the clause that tells you that has moved to the Form 8949 instructions. Why are instructions for Schedule D on Form 8949? The Schedule D tells you to submit e-file and attach the pdf, or if you paper file submit it separately on Form 8453, U.S. Individual Income Tax Transmittal for an IRS e-file return and mail it to Texas. Makes no mention of simply listing it on 2 lines, the same way you always did it. It's like they've got some amateurs cutting and pasting bits of instructions all over the place. They already posted a mistake they found and a correction in one of the Schedule D worksheets.

And has anyone writing tax code ever simplified anything? It would take what, 14 years to read the entire IRS tax code? They can't even comply with the Paperwork Reduction Act!

[safeinOhio]

1. 2016 we were told we'd have

a postcard to do it all. A week or two later I saw H&R Block stock going up and thought WTF.

[question everything]

2. It is "postcard size" becasue they are using tiny fonts, but still on a regular 8 x 10 paper

And basic info, like state refund, estimated tax paid, adjustments like contributions to IRA and, yes, capital gain - you need additional schedules.