IRS e-file Eases Taxing Chore (NAPSA)—The list of chores you can handle online continues to grow: a Shop. @ Paybills. Z Balance checkbook. @ Order groceries. Now, you can add another task to your online to-dolist: File taxes. Last year, nearly 47 million people filed their taxes electronically using IRS e-file. The IRS expects this numberwill increase significantly each year. “Muchlike electricity and ATMs, someday IRS e-file will be a convenience we can’t recall being without,” said Terence H. Lutes, IRS Director of Electronic Tax Administration. IRSe-file: Available to All Virtually all (99 percent) of individual tax forms are available through IRS e-file. You can e-file your own taxesor your tax preparer can do it for you. The number of tax preparers offering IRS e-file has increased 26 percent during the last year, so there’s an excellent chance your prepareroffers the service. If you do your own taxes, you have three options to complete the IRSe-file process: 1. Purchase tax preparation software at your local electronics retailer 2. Download software from a vendor’s Website 3. Complete and e-file your taxes on a Website that uses IRS-authorized software “IRS e-file offers individual taxpayers a wayto file taxes with less hassles, far fewer errors, quick turnaround, and probably most importantly, fast refunds,” said Lutes. Many Happy Returns Within 48 hours of e-filing tax forms, you will receive a proof-of- receipt e-mail. It will either tell New this year: The majority of Americans will be able to e-file their taxes forfree. you that your form has been accepted for processing or alert you to any errors. E-filers typically experience an error rate of less than onepercent. E-filers also receive their refunds in about half the time as those who use paper forms and as quickly as 10 days with Direct Deposit. If you owe taxes, you can file electronically at any time and delay payment until April 15. Information security is a top priority for the IRS. “When you use IRS e-file, your tax information is secure and only authorized users have access to the system,” said Lutes. “We do not share the credit card or bank account information we receive with anyone.” Free File Free File, new in 2008, will allow at least 60 percent of individual taxpayers to e-file their taxes for free. Check www.irs.gov or www.firstgov.gov to find out if you qualify for Free File. (The IRS has never charged a fee to use e-file, but most Web sites and tax software programs customarily charge fees ranging from $7 to $30). For more information on IRS efile, visit www.irs.gov.
