E-Filing Eases Difficulty Of Filing Tax Returns

Almost two-thirds of the nation's taxpayers have jumped on the online bandwagon and are filing their federal tax returns electronically. Figures from the IRS show more than 800 million individual federal tax returns have been filed electronically since the option was first offered in 1990. IRS Commissioner Doug Shulman says using the e-file conduit means faster returns. It can also lead to greater peace of mind because the IRS sends an acknowledgement of return filing. Taxpayers last year got acknowledgement within 48 hours that the IRS had accepted or rejected their returns. There's no such mechanism for taxpayers who file paper returns. The IRS also gives specific explanations of reasons why e-filed returns weren't accepted so taxpayers can make corrections and resubmit returns. For more information, go to www.irs.gov.