more on Tax Data for Sale?

[David Farber <dave () farber net>]

Begin forwarded message:

From: Chris Hoofnagle <hoofnagle () epic org>
Date: March 22, 2006 11:39:21 AM EST
To: EPIC_IDOF () mailman epic org
Subject: Re: [EPIC_IDOF] Tax Data for Sale?

At 08:07 AM 3/22/2006, Bruce Schneier wrote:
> http://rss.slashdot.org/slashdot/eqWf?m=4398
> "The Philadelphia Inquirer reports that the IRS has proposed rule  
> changes
> allowing tax-return preparers, like H&R Block, to sell an individual's
> return information to marketers and data brokers. The proposed rule  
> [PDF],
> which does contain some substantive protections for the processing of
> electronic returns, was published in the Federal Register on  
> December 8,
> 2005. The official comment period has passed, but hearings will be  
> held this
> month."

Well, kind of.  Under the new rule, disclosure of tax return  
information is broadened if the customer gives her affirmative  
consent.  If consent is given, the FULL RETURN can be given to other  
entities for marketing purposes, and the tax preparer does not have  
to even ensure that these other entities are legit or following the  
preparer's privacy policy.

I'm basically telling people not to use storefront tax preparation at  
all, because if they don't trick you into selling your data, they'll  
use it themselves to market bogus refund anticipation loans.   
Unfortunately, even the tax preparation software tries to market that  
crap to you now.

C

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