Welcome to Axis ProRata, a podcast that takes just 10 minutes to get you smarter on the collision of tech business and politics.

I'm Dan Premack. On today's show, a big legal fight over cryptocurrencies and Democrats seek to narrow their crowded presidential field.

But first, turbotaxed. So as many Americans were busy finalizing their taxes in early April, shares of TurboTax

Maker-Inuit hit a record high, valuing the company at nearly $70 billion.

And it's not that surprising, given that more than 30 million Americans, or around one

and every 10 adults, are said to be turbotax users.

The basic reason?

It's easy.

Rather than rifling through all those

tax forms you get in the mail, Intuit system lets you quickly import it all and does the calculations

for you. And if you keep paying up, it'll include things like live accountant help and audit

defense. But TurboTax also is slowly beginning to become more controversial. Earlier this month,

ProPublica reported that both Intuit and rival H&R Block deliberately held a free option

that was aimed at low-income tax filers, or at least aimed at those with very simple filings.

And to be clear, the free option still existed, but it was made very hard to find,

with the company's allegedly steering customers into paid products.

Among those calling for an investigation into Intuit and H&R Block was Senator Elizabeth Warren,

who alongside other legislators, reintroduced a bill that would require the IRS to develop

a free online tax prep and filing service.

Remember, when you get your W2 in the mail, the IRS already has that information, too.

Not only if the IRS created this, could this save the ridiculous $200 a year that Americans,

on average, pay to do their taxes, it could also better ensure data privacy.

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