The IRS has proposed a change in rules to allow tax preparers to sell any and all information from income tax returns. According to the Philadelphia Inquirer "accountants and other tax-return preparers will be able to sell information from individual returns - or even entire returns - to marketers and data brokers."
In true Orwellian fashion, the IRS announced the proposed change in a release with the headline: "IRS Issues Proposed Regulations to Safeguard Taxpayer Information." They claim that more protection is provided by requiring signed permission from the taxpayer before any non-tax use of information is allowed. Because we know that everyone will read every word of the dozens of forms they sign after having their taxes done, right?
It would be more efficient if the IRS just went into the business of selling the information themselves. Maybe they could make enough to fund another tax cut for upper income taxpayers.
Via Sunbelt Blog
