DIY forms

[Black Bart]

The government's helping us discourage DIY guys (unless T/Ps want to buy the box).

Just got back from the post office and they're right on the ball again this year.

During prime-time short form (1040A & EZ) season (last week--Jan/1st week-Feb) you couldn't beg, borrow, or steal those forms and instructions (especially EIC books). Now, that 90% of simple refund returns are over and done with, they have stacks of hundreds on the counter and no takers.

But...who can fault government for inefficiency? I mean, it's not like anybody could have seen the demand coming.

[RitaB]

I can't stand that "zero replies"

Here's another thought: How much is it gonna cost to print new Circular E and distribute? And when will it happen? I've had two people ask (when, not how much) in two days, and I have to say, I have not even bothered to look into this. At all. It HAS to be a stupendous amount of money, right?

[JohnH]

Well, that money helps pay wages for the press operators who print the booklet, the postal carriers who deliver it, and the garbage collectors who pick up 90% of them and take them to the landfill. So I guess one could make the argument that printing the new booklets will help "stimulate" the economy. I'm not advancing that argument, but there are some in government who would try. It's all a part of "spreading it around" a little.

Of course, if that plan actually worked as advertised then we could just as easily pay people to run down the street breaking windows and then pay another group of repairmen to come along behind them and repair the damage. It makes about as much sense.

[RitaB]

Thought I'd post what I found

Re: the new withholding tables. Looks like they'll mail out some nine million Pub 15-T in mid-March. (Sorry if everybody but me knew that already.)

So, we need to plan for workers to handle 8,100,000 going to the landfill. Infrastructure? They will use roads to get there, right?

http://www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=204521,00.html