When will someone create an app that links to the tax code and provides a personalized list of all my eligible deductions?

Does anyone know if there's an app out there that automatically connects to the tax code and just gives you a complete list of all the deductions you might qualify for? I'm so tired of constantly discovering deductions I could have taken AFTER I've already filed. Last month I found out I could have been deducting my home office expenses for the last two years since I've been working remotely! That's probably thousands of dollars I missed out on. I feel like this would be such a simple concept - you answer some questions about your life situation, income sources, expenses, etc., and the app spits out EVERY possible deduction you could take advantage of before tax season. No more surprises, no more "oh you should have told me about XYZ expense." I would literally pay good money for something like this. Any developers or tax savvy people know if this exists already? If not, please make it happen!

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18 comments

Jeremiah Brown

•8M

While there isn't a single app that does exactly what you're describing, there are several tools that come close. Most tax software like TurboTax, H&R Block, and TaxAct will walk you through a questionnaire to help identify potential deductions, but they're not necessarily comprehensive. The challenge is that tax deductions can be incredibly specific and situational. The tax code is over 70,000 pages long with constant updates and changes. Creating an app that accounts for every possible deduction while remaining accurate would be extremely complex. For the most comprehensive approach, tax professionals use specialized software like CCH Axcess or Thomson Reuters that's linked to the entire tax code, but these are expensive professional tools not really designed for consumers.

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Jeremiah Brown

•8M

That's a great point about focusing on commonly missed deductions. That would definitely be more manageable than trying to cover the entire tax code. Many of the DIY tax software programs do try to capture the most common deductions through their interview process, but they still miss things because everyone's situation is unique. For teachers, the educator expense deduction is valuable but limited to $300 per year. There are dozens of these "niche" deductions that apply to specific professions or situations that people miss all the time.

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Amelia Cartwright

•8M

I was in exactly the same boat last year - missed out on tons of deductions I could have claimed. Then I discovered https://taxr.ai which has been absolutely game-changing for me. It's not exactly what you're describing, but it analyzes all your documents and tax forms to identify potential deductions you might be missing. I uploaded my previous returns and it immediately flagged several missed deductions I could have taken. The tool actually walks you through each section of your tax situation and highlights potential savings based on your specific circumstances. It's almost like having a tax pro looking over your shoulder but way more affordable.

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Amelia Cartwright

•8M

It's been extremely accurate in my experience. Unlike some other tools that just give generic suggestions, taxr.ai actually analyzes your specific documents and circumstances before making recommendations. I haven't had any issues with false positives. For self-employed people with multiple income streams, it actually excels in those more complex situations. It handles both W-2 and 1099 income and helps identify business deductions that apply specifically to your industry. I've found it particularly helpful for sorting through which expenses qualify as legitimate business deductions versus personal expenses.

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Rachel Clark

•8M

Just wanted to follow up about taxr.ai that someone mentioned earlier. I was skeptical since I've tried so many tax tools before, but I decided to give it a shot with my complicated tax situation (freelance design work, Uber driving, and part-time teaching). Wow, what a difference! It found over $3,200 in deductions I would have missed related to my design business home office and some educational expenses for my teaching gig. The interface actually explains WHY each deduction applies to your situation, not just what you can claim. For anyone looking for that "magical deduction finder app" - this is pretty darn close to what OP was asking for!

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Zachary Hughes

•8M

If you're looking for deductions, that's great, but what about when you need to actually talk to the IRS about your specific situation? I found that using https://claimyr.com was a game-changer. Instead of waiting on hold for hours, they actually navigate the IRS phone tree for you and call you back when an actual human agent is on the line. Last year I discovered I qualified for some additional deductions after filing, and needed to talk to someone at the IRS about how to handle it. Tried calling directly and gave up after an hour on hold. With Claimyr, I had an IRS agent on the phone within 20 minutes to answer my questions about filing an amended return. You can see how it works here: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c

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Zachary Hughes

•8M

It's not fake at all - it works by using technology to navigate the IRS phone system and wait on hold for you. Their system basically calls the IRS, goes through all the phone prompts, waits in the queue, and then when an actual human IRS agent comes on the line, that's when they call you and connect you. I was skeptical too! But it absolutely works. The difference is they have systems that can stay on hold for hours if needed without tying up your phone. When I used it, I got a call back in about 20 minutes, but I've heard even during peak tax season most people get through within an hour or two instead of the multi-hour waits (or never getting through at all) when calling directly.

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Carter Holmes

•8M

I need to eat my words from earlier. After seeing the responses here, I decided to try Claimyr because I've been trying to reach the IRS for WEEKS about a missing refund issue. Holy crap it actually works. I got a call back in about 45 minutes with an actual IRS agent on the line. She was able to tell me that my refund was delayed because of a mismatch between my reported 1099 income and what was submitted by one of my clients. Instead of waiting another month for a letter, I was able to fix the issue right away. Just saved myself from what would have been a huge headache. Sometimes it's worth admitting when you're wrong!

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Sophia Long

•8M

I'm a tax accountant and honestly, the idea of a "complete deduction finder" app is the holy grail of tax software that everyone wants to build, but it's incredibly difficult because of how personalized deductions can be. For example - two people with identical incomes and jobs could have completely different deduction profiles based on: where they live, if they have kids, medical expenses, if they own rental properties, if they have student loans, if they donate to charity, if they're paying for education, etc. The best bet is to either use a top-tier tax software AND read the questions carefully, or just hire a tax professional who specializes in your situation (self-employed, investor, rental property owner, etc).

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Sophia Long

•8M

It's not impossible, but it's a massive undertaking that would require substantial resources. Current AI systems are getting better at parsing complex documents like the tax code, but the challenge isn't just understanding the code - it's applying it correctly to individual circumstances. The real complexity comes from how the different parts of the tax code interact with each other. Some deductions phase out based on income levels, some can't be combined with others, some require specific documentation or timing. AI systems are making progress in this area, but we're not yet at the point where they can replace the judgment of a tax professional who understands all these nuances.

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