#then it’s kind of shitty to have a broken system auto reject you based on criteria they tell you nothing about

[labyrynth]

federal free file: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

pros:

very straightforward and easy to understand

little “what is this?” buttons all over the place that had simple explanations, and linked to more comprehensive information.

used the same identity verification system as the CA unemployment department, and effectively lets you use the same account

cons:

somewhat limited in scope; your situation needs to be pretty standard to use it.

CA free file: no stars

pros:

a good idea in concept (and long overdue)

advertised as having fast registration and quick filing

cons:

their identity verification system is broken on multiple browsers, including firefox and opera—you have to use microsoft fucking edge to get it to work (which i had to find out from reddit)

verification rejected with no explanation (why does the CA tax board not use the same system as the CA employment department??)

instead they will mail you a pin in 5-7 business days so you can finish creating your account to file your taxes

5-7 business days: april 18-20

deadline to file taxes: april 15

do you see the problem here