The tax system is not convoluted and complex due to the influence of the tax preparation industry, they have very little influence on the matter.
Instead, it's the way it is due to many other enormous industries and interests (farms, welfare, support for families and home owners, investors, etc, etc, etc.) I can guarantee you that the reason there's a special section for "fishing boat proceeds" on your W2 is not because H&R Block thought it would be a hoot but because of complex politics around the fishing industry.
1. Why should there be one for all income categories? Some taxes are just plain fundamentally more complex than others. As it is, you can e-file for free through the federal government (I did so 2 years ago, it was no harder than filing out the form).
2. Are you seriously posing the question of why a ponderous government bureaucracy hasn't streamlined a process and made it user friendly? I'll just leave that one be.
Instead, it's the way it is due to many other enormous industries and interests (farms, welfare, support for families and home owners, investors, etc, etc, etc.) I can guarantee you that the reason there's a special section for "fishing boat proceeds" on your W2 is not because H&R Block thought it would be a hoot but because of complex politics around the fishing industry.