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Departing IRS Chief Says Tax Code Ripe for Overhaul

The departing commissioner of the Internal Revenue Service says the tax code is ripe for overhaul, citing its massive complexity and the unpredictability of its on-again, off-again rules.
Douglas Shulman, whose term ended Friday, said in an exit interview with The Wall Street Journal that there’s “broad bipartisan consensus that the tax code is too complex” and that “it would serve the American people better to have a tax code that has more certainty without as many expiring provisions.”
He added that lawmakers have “loaded up” the current tax code with breaks, and “in some ways they’re the definition of complexity” and could be pared back.

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    • Other taxing agencies have been found recently completely ignoring their duties – I guess they think someone else will do it – but out West three PEOPLE were supposed to systematically check large returns – and NONE of them did it.
      AGH!!!!!!!

    • 80% of IRS employees are working to get 20% of the revenue from working class people. If they can truly work to audit the businesses or high income tax payees, it will bring in some more revenue. Right now, it’s simply big government issue.

    • Just get rid of all of it, go to zero income tax code. How to fund the socialist entitlement programs ? No problem, just get rid of those also, and the socialists too. The New Era – no income taxes, no entitlement programs – YIPPEEEE!!!!!! Capital would FLOOD into the USA & theer would be an EXPLOSION of growth. Sorry socialist utopia EU.

    • none of you wsj washington wire bloggers have an ounce of credibility left after you denied your journalistic duty of investigating and reporting on the benghazi lybia scandal at the time it broke, up to, and including today.

    • please tell us something we don’t already know, Mr. Shulman.

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