California taxpayers who hate filling out tax returns might be in luck next tax season. If their tax returns are simple enough, the state will offer to fill out the forms for them. All they’ll have to do is sign — or click online — and pay what’s due.
Deeming last season’s experiment with the “ReadyReturn” a success, the state Franchise Tax Board voted unanimously on Wednesday to roll out the program to more taxpayers next tax season.
State officials predict that 30,000 taxpayers will take advantage of the offer in 2006, triple the number under this year’s pilot program. It projects 230,000 will do so by 2009.
“First, it’s going to save money for the state,” said Controller Steve Westly, one of the three franchise board members and a champion of the program. “Second, it takes one of the biggest headaches out of people’s lives, which is having to prepare tax returns.
“Third, California has a problem,” Westly added. “There are 800,000 people who owe taxes and aren’t paying. We’re going to check and see if innovative programs like this one bring some of those 800,000 people into the tax system.”
One difference from the pilot program is that the agency won’t mail actual forms next tax season. Instead, taxpayers will have to go online, download and review the completed forms or simply confirm that the FTB has the right amounts in the right boxes.
