They write the tax laws, but most don't prepare own returns

Star Tribune ^ | April 16, 2006 | Mary Dalrymple

[wallcrawlr]

WASHINGTON - When it comes to their own tax returns, many members of Congress who specialize in writing tax laws turn to professional preparers rather than complete the paperwork themselves.

"It's onerous and everybody knows it," said Rep. Richard Neal, D-Mass.

Three of the four top members of the Senate Finance and House Ways and Means committees, which are in charge of writing tax laws, pay a professional to file their annual tax returns with the Internal Revenue Service.

The exception is the Ways and Means chairman, Rep. Bill Thomas, R-Calif.

< snip >

New York Rep. Charles Rangel, the top Democrat on the Ways and Means Committee, and Sens. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, and Max Baucus, D-Mont., the Finance Committee chairman and ranking Democrat, all depend on professional tax preparers.

< snip >

David Keating, senior counselor at the National Taxpayers Union, said lawmakers should at least try to complete their own returns.

"If they're going to sit on a tax-writing committee, it certainly makes a lot of sense for them at least to attempt to do their own tax return," Keating said.

A few do dive in on their own.

Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., said he does them "just so I can go through the process." Then he asks an accountant to check for mistakes.

Sen. Rick Santorum, R-Pa., said he usually prepares his own taxes using computer software. Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, does his return and his children's.

Rep. Jim Ramstad, R-Minn., does not do his own returns, but he agreed it might be a good idea to try. "I think it is important that we operate in the real world," he said.

[wallcrawlr]

I do my own and some family members...

<< disclosure >>
I work on tax stuff for a living

[GeorgefromGeorgia]

Thanks for TAXCUT software

[TommyDale]

If paid tax preparation (and tax software) were to be banned for one year and everyone had to actually prepare their own taxes, how many people would demand that the tax code be eliminated?

[unixfox]

If everyone had to write a check at the end of each month to the government instead of having it "witheld" they would DEMAND spending cuts.

[SWAMPSNIPER]

I seriously doubt that most of them wipe their own hineys!

[groanup]

bttt

[KarlInOhio]

Every Congressman should have to do his own taxes on C-Span. Just set aside a day and make them do it by hand - no computers, no tax assistance other than the same IRS "help" line everyone else uses. I want to see Congressmen openly crying on national TV by the end of the day.

[goldstategop]

Politicians write tax laws no one can understand and they can't even fill out their own tax returns!

(Denny Crane: "I Don't Want To Socialize With A Pinko Liberal Democrat Commie. Say What You Like About Republicans. We Stick To Our Convictions. Even When We Know We're Dead Wrong.")

[wallcrawlr]

I like that suggestion.

that would be a great reality TV series.

[poindexter]

Every Congressman should have to do his own taxes on C-Span. Just set aside a day and make them do it by hand -

And make that day April 14.

[xcamel]