IRS Commissioner Douglas Shulman does not file his own taxes in part because he believes the tax code is complex.
During an interview on C-SPAN’s “Newsmakers” program that aired on Sunday, Shulman said he uses a tax preparer for his own returns.
“I’ve used one for years. I find it convenient. I find the tax code complex so I use a preparer,” Shulman said.
Somewhat of a misleading headline from the press – of course he files his own taxes, he just doesn’t prepare his own taxes due to the complexities of the tax code. If he didn’t file, he’d be breaking the law. That he doesn’t prepare his own is indicative of the difficulty of understanding our tax code.
Also, he’s right when he says the complexity of the tax code is not his fault. It lies with Congress.