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Simplify the tax code — repeal burdensome regulations 

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wednesday

Last month, Americans finished filing their taxes for the year. Once again, it was a massive, time-consuming headache. All told, taxpayers spent an estimated 7.1 billion hours dealing with the tax code this year.

Fortunately, the Trump administration is renewing its push to clean up the clutter. A new effort to eliminate outdated IRS rules builds on reforms from the president’s first term and offers a step toward a simpler, more transparent system. But much more work remains to truly reduce the burden that tax complexity imposes on American families and businesses.

During President Trump’s first term, the Treasury identified 300 regulations for elimination following an executive order targeting rules that were outdated, duplicative or overly burdensome. Many of these regulations interpreted repealed provisions — some dating to the 1940s — or were tied to expired or revised statutes. Although those changes didn’t overhaul the code, they reduced clutter, improved clarity and modestly lightened compliance burdens.

Trump’s second term is following a similar path. In February, the president issued an executive order that included directions to

© The Hill