Filing taxes could be free & simple. H&R Block & Intuit lobby against it (2017)
I had to file Australian income taxes for two years. I was kinda terrified of it. I logged into the government website with information I received in the mail (TFN), plus a phone call to link my information to my web account.<p>My taxes were pretty simple, admittedly. But the government website <i>already had</i> all of my income information pre-filled out. I entered a bank account, entered my health insurance details (hey, hey, affordable universal healthcare), and submitted. I was literally done in 15 mins.<p>The Australian government practically <i>fell all over themselves</i> to promise me they would get me my refund as soon as possible. They sent a text within hours that promised something like five business days. It was done in three. I never had to deal with them again.<p>WTF America.