: In the 1990s, "buying" software meant physical disks. Tax preparation was a local activity, tethered to a single computer.
The decision to is more than a simple transaction; it is a participation in a decades-long digital revolution that has transformed a once-manual, error-prone government requirement into a streamlined, high-tech experience. The Evolution of Choice
For much of the 20th century, taxpayers were faced with two choices: navigate a labyrinth of paper forms by hand or hire a professional to do it for them. The first digital shifts began in the 1980s with a pilot program for just five taxpayers, eventually leading to a system where taxpayers now file over 120 million returns electronically each year.
Buying software online introduces a psychological shift in how we handle financial responsibility. It offers a "do-it-yourself" middle ground that balances cost and control. IRS E-File: A History