You really should though. I would say it‘s only a safe bet if you worked the same job for the entire year, got no bonuses and had no other income at all (even from the state).

Otherwise you either have to do it or you are missing out on credits.

It‘s pretty straightforward too. If you want you can only file your basic personal data and bank account and have the information already submitted by the employer electronically picked up. That way you can get any obvious credits for e.g. uneven earnings.

> if you worked the same job for the entire year, got no bonuses and had no other income at all

I would wager this is most people working a 9-5. That's my point.

It's optional, entirely. In the US, it is not. You are forced to file, every year, by penalty of law (really nasty IRS calls/visits/audits). And in order to file, you must wade through endless forms and confusing tax law, usually missing a tax break costing you more - unless, that is, you use software.

And that's the rub - those software vendors are the ones lobbying against simplifying tax processess so that citizens are forced into using their software. It's not a "maybe this is happening". This is a "definitely happening" thing for decades now.