For billionaires and giant corporations, every day under the Trump administration must feel like Christmas.
Trump’s latest gift to CEOs and big business? He’s planning to end Direct File, a new IRS program that allows taxpayers to file their taxes with the government for free.
I’m proud to have helped create Direct File under the Biden administration’s Inflation Reduction Act — and even prouder of the results we’ve seen so far.
Taxpayers had historically wasted time and money on filing their taxes through companies like Intuit (which owns TurboTax) and H&R Block — spending an average of $240 and 13 hours to file their taxes every year.
It simply doesn’t have to be this way. To date, Direct File has helped over 140,000 Americans save $5.6 million in tax preparation fees.
But instead of helping taxpayers keep that $240 back in their pocket, Trump wants companies like Intuit to continue raking it in and monopolizing tax preparation services.
Why, oh why, would Donald Trump do that? Corruption.
Intuit donated $1 million to Trump’s inauguration fund — and we can be sure that they are expecting a return on that investment.
Plain and simple: Trump is going after Direct File because the program stops giant tax prep companies from ripping off taxpayers for services that can easily be free.
Direct File made life easier and cheaper for Americans. Now Trump is killing it. I’m going to keep calling this out for what it is — greed and corruption, plain and simple. If you’re with me, add your name to say you want politicians to do everything they can to protect and expand Direct File, not dismantle it.
This giveaway to the big tax prep companies is basically putting an “open for business” sign above the White House. It’s a clear example of big money interests buying the president’s favor in order to get special treatment.
Shutting down Direct File isn’t good for the everyday consumer. It isn’t good for competition. It isn’t good for just about everybody except for the executives at a handful of companies — and Donald Trump himself.
It also harms the public trust. Voters are seeing how politicians can be easily bought and sold by the highest bidder. Whether it’s Paramount ending Colbert’s show just days after he criticized their settlement with Trump, or the Trump administration using trade negotiations to strike deals for Starlink — this kind of self-dealing erodes voters’ faith in their government. It means the rich and powerful win while everybody else loses out.
That’s why we have to get loud and call out this attack on Direct File to make it clear this won’t help the vast majority of Americans. If you agree, add your name here, and we’ll fight together to stop the Trump administration’s attacks on the Direct File program.
Thanks for being a part of this,
Elizabeth  |
