TSBAS Accounting Bookkeeping Payroll Tax Preparation
  • Home
  • Blog
  • Learn More
    • About >
      • Meet the Team
      • Reviews
    • Services >
      • Tax Debt Relief
      • Accounting & Bookkeeping
      • Tax Services
      • Payroll Services
      • Seminars & Training
      • QuickBooks Services
      • Specialized Services >
        • Spa Bookkeeping
        • Services for Real Estate Agents
  • Schedule
  • Contact Us
  • TSBAS Client Guide
  • Service Requests
    • Payroll Service Quote Request
  • Links to Important Things
  • careers
  • Home
  • Blog
  • Learn More
    • About >
      • Meet the Team
      • Reviews
    • Services >
      • Tax Debt Relief
      • Accounting & Bookkeeping
      • Tax Services
      • Payroll Services
      • Seminars & Training
      • QuickBooks Services
      • Specialized Services >
        • Spa Bookkeeping
        • Services for Real Estate Agents
  • Schedule
  • Contact Us
  • TSBAS Client Guide
  • Service Requests
    • Payroll Service Quote Request
  • Links to Important Things
  • careers

Postcard-Sized Tax Return ... Kinda

7/2/2018

0 Comments

 

As part of the Republican’s tax overhaul that culminated in the passage late last year of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, there was often talk of wanting taxes to be simple enough that they could be filed on a postcard. Now that has come to pass … sort of … with the official unveiling of a new form 1040 on Friday.

First, I just want to say that for the most part I try to stay apolitical when discussing tax policy. Whether I agree with the rules or not is less important in my situation than making sure everyone follows the rules (and puts them to their best use). In this case, though, this postcard really is a rather empty gesture calculated for its use as a sound bite and photo op. This is just a different look for an old form, it does not reflect any new policy or change in how your tax obligation will be calculated.

Now let’s start from the fact that calling this a postcard can only be done by thinking of it as a rather big postcard. Sure, the form is smaller, but it is still bigger than what you find on spinner racks in tourist destinations, is double-sided, and could still require other forms to make it part of a complete tax return. Some of the things that would require other forms are rather frequently used, too, like student loan interest and education tax credits.

Beyond what this form actually contains, though, lies the bigger question of when is the last time you actually filled out a 1040? Many of us of a certain age, (cough, cough), can remember going line by line down a 1040 as the main action behind filling out a tax return, but with around 90% of filers having moved on to electronic filing, we are no longer really filling out tax returns in this line-by-line manner.

Right, remember electronic filing? The thing that meant you no longer needed to mail in a tax return.

And remember postcards? Those things that you have to actually put in a mailbox.

Also, I’m not sure that something is really a postcard if you have to put it in an envelope, either. And that is something you really would want to do with this new form, otherwise all your identifying information, including a social security number, is available to seen by all whose hands it passes through.

Did I mention that this is really a largely hollow gesture?

​Taxes really are going to be very different when it comes time to file next year. And again, politics aside, the increased standard deduction is going to mean that many people have a simpler tax return. That was one of the main goals of the legislation passed, and that was certainly a way to back up those claims and goals. This new form, though, is just bluster with no real substance.

​Warmly,

Nicole Odeh
Connect to Us ~ 
Facebook ~ Twitter

To ensure we don't make the folks at the IRS ornery, we inform you that any U.S. federal tax advice contained in this communication (including any attachments) is not intended or written to be used, and cannot be used, for the purpose of (i) avoiding penalties under the Internal Revenue Code or (ii) promoting, marketing, or recommending to another party any transaction or matter addressed herein.

0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Archives

    May 2025
    April 2025
    March 2025
    February 2025
    January 2025
    December 2024
    November 2024
    October 2024
    September 2024
    August 2024
    July 2024
    June 2024
    May 2024
    April 2024
    March 2024
    February 2024
    January 2024
    December 2023
    November 2023
    October 2023
    September 2023
    August 2023
    July 2023
    June 2023
    May 2023
    April 2023
    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017

    RSS Feed

    Categories

    All
    Balance
    Bookkeeping
    Business
    Payroll
    Tax
    Tax Prep
    Tax Return
    Tax Scam

    View my profile on LinkedIn
Website by Odeh Media Group
Copyright ©2025 TSBAS.com, All Rights Reserved
The Small Business Accounting Solution, Inc
50 South 1st Avenue, Coatesville PA 19320
(844) 208-2937
Privacy Policy
​Contact Us
Terms & Conditions