AI Assistants in Consumer Tax Software Quiz

Answers and explanations appear as you take the quiz.

1. In consumer tax software, what component actually computes your tax?
   • The chatbot's language model
   • A deterministic rules engine using the inputs you enter
   • The IRS, after you file
   • A random sample of help articles
2. Why can a wrong chatbot answer still produce a wrong tax result even if the engine is reliable?
   • The engine rewrites the chatbot's answers
   • A wrong answer about what to enter becomes a wrong input, which the engine computes faithfully
   • The IRS audits every chatbot answer
   • The engine is turned off when the chatbot is used
3. What has independent testing of tax software assistants like TurboTax's and H&R Block's found?
   • Both were flawless
   • Many answers were wrong, incomplete or unhelpful
   • Only H&R Block has an assistant
   • The assistants filed returns automatically
4. Why might users over-trust an assistant inside tax software compared with a general chatbot?
   • It appears inside a trusted product, so users may assume the calculation guarantees also cover it
   • It is always run by the IRS
   • It cannot make mistakes by law
   • It has no access to help content
5. Which situation does the guide list as a reason to escalate to a human preparer?
   • Finding where to enter a 1098-T
   • A multi-state move during the year
   • Changing the software's display language
   • Printing a copy of the return
6. A user who sold inherited stock gets an explanation of stepped-up basis. What further check does the guide recommend?
   • None, the explanation is enough
   • Confirm the basis figure against estate records, because the broker may not have the correct basis
   • Report the sale price as zero
   • Delete the 1099-B
7. What role does the policy layer play in a tax software assistant?
   • It calculates refunds
   • It filters topics the vendor considers too risky, sometimes deflecting legitimate questions
   • It files the return with the state
   • It stores payment information
8. According to the guide, what is a practical test of whether to trust an assistant's answer?
   • Whether it answers quickly
   • Whether it uses a friendly tone
   • Whether it tells you what to enter and why, with a reason you can check against form instructions
   • Whether it uses tax jargon