Put another way:How do makers of tax software create the equations and logic that makeup their programs?Do they read all the forms (or PDFs) and create the logic andequations by hand, or does the IRS publish the equations themselves?For example, something like "Amount You Owe"; = - If I could get my hands on a full electronic specification of the taxforms and worksheets, I could potentially do some interesting thingsthat tax software is generally not very good at.========================================= MODERATOR'S COMMENT:The tax code itself, plus numerous procedures, regulations, andother documents are used to design software.For e-filed returns, there is an IRS spec, Pub 1346, which specifies rulesfor an e-filed form 1040 series, and that is certainly one of the driverssoftware designers follow. But that does not contain all the rules neededto develop a software package.

Interesting. I have poked around on the IRS website and I also seethat some forms are available in the XML markup language. This appearsto be the case especially for forms used by corporations rather thanindividuals, but I could be wrong. XML of all tax forms might be a godidea :).

Does IRS publish tax EQUATIONS?

Dec 30, 2008 21 Replies

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Don Priebe 17 years ago

The e-file system is a trivial exercise compared to calculating the tax return in the first place. An e-file is simply a series of records that replicate the numbers on a properly filled out paper return*. The exact required format of each record is well documented in Pub 1346. Figuring out the numbers to put on that paper return in the first place is the hard part.

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reikred 17 years ago

I understand what you are saying. I should myself have said "you could implement a complete tax calculation software that prudces 1040 efile format" rather than saying "implementing a 1040 efile". The former is what I really intended to express.

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