# Free online tax filing ... How do they make any money? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 7, 2019, 11:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-online-tax-filing-how-do-they-make-any-money/829110 "2019-02-07T11:16:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2019, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-online-tax-filing-how-do-they-make-any-money/829110/41 "2019-02-08T19:57:14Z")
> [@RaftPeople](#): > > While it’s true that the private companies probably don’t want the competition, I personally don’t want the IRS to continue to waste billions of dollars trying to manage software development projects unsuccessfully. > > Large bureaucracies are notoriously bad at the already extremely difficult task of successfully building complex software systems. When that bureaucracy is a govt entity, it seems the chance of failure rises to somewhere right around 99.999%. > > I…Without a private company, the masses would probably be waiting another 30 years (or never) before the IRS creates a working consumer based system (note: they have gone through 3 failed multi-billion dollar modernization projects since the 70’s). Yeah, the iRS- and most of the rest of the government- is really bad at this. It is due to the way Government contracts are done (slow)and how Federal employees are paid (just OK, thus young programmer hotshots arent working for the government, except maybe the NSA). ---
**Author:** ![Cerridwyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Cerridwyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cerridwyn)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2019, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-online-tax-filing-how-do-they-make-any-money/829110/42 "2019-02-12T02:18:09Z")
I may have missed the question from another, but I have a couple of tax return questions. 1. I am on disability–non working [understanding I don’t have to pay taxes], I asked them to take out 15% from my disability. The first time I did that, I received all taxes back. a. After skipping a year without filing b. in the last three years I did work, but haven’t filed yet. 1. My roommate volunteered me to chauffeur church friends around because they are elderly & can no longer drive. a. She told them I would be happy to. ``` I. one person gave me a little some-some for driving her around at times II. another did not have means to offer me anything III. the last offered a bus pass. Later she needed overnight care & offered to pay me. It turned into a paying job requiring F-1090. ``` I have not filed taxes for 4 years. I’m having a time trying to get the forms to fill out/file. Would I be able to file for those years I missed? The jobs I had while on disability, would I get to file for those? Oh! Important question, how would I be able to get my past W-4s & F-1090? ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2019, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-online-tax-filing-how-do-they-make-any-money/829110/43 "2019-02-12T02:40:51Z")
> [@Cerridwyn](#): > > I may have missed the question from another, but I have a couple of tax return questions. > > 1. I am on disability–non working [understanding I don’t have to pay taxes], I asked them to take out 15% from my disability. The first time I did that, I received all taxes back. > > a. After skipping a year without filing > > b. in the last three years I did work, but haven’t filed yet. > > 1. My roommate volunteered me to chauffeur church friends around because they are elderly & can no longer drive. > > a. She told them I would be happy to. > > ``` > I. one person gave me a little some-some for driving her around at times > > II. another did not have means to offer me anything > > III. the last offered a bus pass. Later she needed overnight care & offered to pay me. It turned into a paying job requiring F-1090. > > ``` > > I have not filed taxes for 4 years. I’m having a time trying to get the forms to fill out/file. > > Would I be able to file for those years I missed? > The jobs I had while on disability, would I get to file for those? > Oh! Important question, how would I be able to get my past W-4s & F-1090? Most disability is non-taxable. You wouldnt even have to file if that’s all you have. It is easy to find out if yours is taxable- did they send you a 1099 or W2 indicating taxable amount? III- you’d have to file a Sch C for that, maybe just a Sch C EZ You dont need your W4s. By 1090 you mean 1099? The IRS can do that. best is the person who you were working for/ who paid you. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-online-tax-filing-how-do-they-make-any-money/829110.md?page=2)