Gridlock Means Fewer Tax-Return Changes

(NewsCore) - Thanks to political gridlock in Washington last year, taxpayers will have to grapple with relatively few tax-law changes on their federal income-tax returns for 2011.

"There are a few new forms to contend with, but in general, the tax return will look very similar to the past," according to Brittney Saks, a partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers and head of the firm's US personal financial services practice.

Even so, do not feel too sorry for professional tax preparers. Some of the changes can be tricky -- and there are plenty of complexities left over from prior years to keep most tax professionals from having to worry about joining the ranks of the unemployed.

"Although Congress keeps talking about simplicity, they've really done very little" to simplify the tax system, according to Mark Luscombe, principal federal tax analyst at CCH, a Wolters Kluwer business. "So, every year, it gets a little more complex."

Read more: Wall Street Journal