making me enter a special code and fill out forms and pay for the ‘deLuXe’ tax software because only that can handle the right forms

i assume other countries do this too. scum apps more like

  • Solemarc@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    71
    ·
    1 year ago

    In Australia my employer reports my income and does all the tax before I get paid. Then at tax time I go to the Aus tax office website; review it, add any claims I want to make and submit it.

    This is an American solution to an American problem.

    • Maggoty@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      10
      ·
      1 year ago

      Yup. Especially because the IRS knows how much most of us are making. (If you’re not completely in cash in the black market the IRS knows.) Your employer reports your earnings to the IRS.

      Incredibly we have this system because the private tax preparation business has lobbied to make it hard to pay your taxes.

    • Fal@yiffit.net
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      12
      arrow-down
      4
      ·
      1 year ago

      That’s basically how it works here too. The situation in op is different because there’s no employer.

      • beetus@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        8
        ·
        edit-2
        1 year ago

        Uhh what? There’s no American tax website to login into to “verify” things were handled right. One still has to do a decent amount of work copying data into third party for-profit company web forms.

        While it’s easy for some to manage, it’s by no means a simple process compared to what some other countries offer

        • Fal@yiffit.net
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          1
          arrow-down
          1
          ·
          11 months ago

          There’s no American tax website to login into to “verify” things were handled right

          There basically is. Your W2 gives you all the info about how much was withheld, and you can simply verify that it’s right or not.

    • HeartyBeast@kbin.social
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      6
      ·
      1 year ago

      If you drive with Uber or something similar in Australia, I’m pretty sure you will be classified as self employed. I doubt Uber is your “employer”

      • Solemarc@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        1
        ·
        1 year ago

        Your completely correct but Google also tells me that, at least in the case of Uber, it will calculate the tax for the ride and you just have to report it to the government at the end of the month. Also there are some really cheap accountants you can use over here and I’m sure they exist overseas as well, but I suppose I don’t know OP’s financial situation and neither of these are free.