Home Computer Use of E-file Jumps

 

Avi: Kontni Istorik


Sa a se yon dokiman achiv oswa istorik e li ka pa reprezante lwa, règleman oswa pwosedi aktyèl yo.

IR-2004-40, Mar. 24, 2004

WASHINGTON — More and more taxpayers are using their home computers to prepare and file their returns electronically this year, according to new statistics released today by the Internal Revenue Service.

Nearly 10 million returns were self-prepared on a home computer and submitted through e-file through March 19, representing a 22.9 percent increase from last year. The increased home computer use reflected part of a bigger overall increase in e-filing, with more than 43 million returns filed electronically — an 11.4 percent increase from last year.

“Home computer users are on a record pace to use e-file this year,” said IRS Commissioner Mark W. Everson. “People are discovering that e-filing is the fastest, easiest way to do their taxes. There are fewer errors, and taxpayers get their refunds in less than half the time of paper returns.”

E-filing is showing growth in several categories. In addition to home computers, tax professional use of e-filing is up 10 percent.

And the IRS Free File program has received more than 2.46 million returns. That’s an increase of more than 24 percent, representing nearly 500,000 more returns than the same period last year.

Free File is a public-private partnership between the IRS and a consortium of tax software companies that offer free e-file services to eligible taxpayers. Free File, which is available through IRS.gov, gives taxpayers free access to the benefits of online tax preparation and e-filing.

“Free File helps taxpayers in underserved and disadvantaged communities, and it’s working,” Everson said.

Each private company sets its own eligibility requirements for the Free File program. The IRS hosts the Free File Web page, but the online tax preparation occurs on the companies’ Web sites. The companies file the returns using IRS’s secure e-file transmission system.

Related Item: Free File

2004 Filing Season Statistics
Cumulative through the week ending 3/21/03 and 3/19/04

 

2003

2004 

Change

Individual Income Tax Returns

 

 

 

     Total Receipts

66,971,000

68,182,000

  1.8 %

     Total Processed

60,744,000

63,220,000

   4.1 %

E-filing Receipts:

 

 

 

     TOTAL

38,659,000

43,048,000

 11.4 %

     TeleFile (phone)

  3,182,000

  2,973,000

 - 6.6 %

     Computer

35,477,000

40,075,000

 13.0 %

     Tax Professionals

27,438,000

30,195,000

 10.0 %

     Self-prepared

  8,039,000

  9,880,000

   22.9 %

Tax Year 2003 Refunds Certified:

 

 

 

     Number

54,988,000

57,516,000

4.6 %

     Amount of Principal

$111.483 billion

$122.373 billion

9.8 %

     Average Refund

$2,027

$2,128

4.9 %

 Direct Deposit Refunds:

 

 

 

     Number

  32,564,000

  35,918,000

 10.3 %

     Amount

$78.159 billion

 $89.001 billion

 13.9 %

     Average

     $2,400

     $2,478

   3.2 %

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