Is e-filing really a better way to record your taxes?
Americans and the IRS might not agree about everything, but they are mostly on precisely the same page in regards to e-filing individual income tax returns.
The majority of individual income tax returns submitted to the IRS are e-filed. E-filing is a favorite because it is a win-win for taxpayers and the IRS.
And in return, you can get any refund you’re owed quicker, especially if you have it directly deposited into your bank accounts.
But what about security? And can electronic filing really give you access to all of the forms that you might need if you’ve got a intricate tax situation? Are there ever situations when you can’t e-file? Let’s look at the benefits of e-filing, and if it may be the best filing choice for your requirements.
If you’re Considering e-filing, some of the advantages include:
- Quick affirmation your forms are received: The IRS will confirm a tax filing has been received within 24 hours of digital submission. For paper filers, the IRS does not send any acknowledgment that your forms have arrived .
Timely refunds: When you publish a paper filing, it may take six to eight weeks to be given a tax refund. With e-filing, you’ll get your money in three weeks or less. Choosing direct deposit may also speed up the refund procedure.
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Reduced likelihood of errors: In accordance with the IRS, there’s around a 1 percent error rate on e-filed yields, compared with a 20% rate of errors on paper filings. The IRS also provides more information on issues discovered on e-filed yields compared with paper yields.
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Simple payment process: If you owe the IRS money, it’s easier to cover at your advantage if you e-file. You can submit returns early and pay later if needed, as long as you pay by the April 15 filing deadline. You also have the option to pay your balance by using the IRS Immediate pay service from your checking or savings accounts, submitting a credit card through a payment processor for a fee, or paying by check or money order.
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Digital storage of tax data: Submitting returns electronically implies there’s an electronic backup of your tax documents. If something happens to your paperwork, then you will have a digital backup.
The fantastic news: Most taxpayers do decide to e-file and get those benefits — and the practice of doing this is simple.
Using online tax preparation software is far and away the favored approach of most taxpayers. In fact, the IRS says it anticipated over four in five tax returns to be filed through tax return prep program.
Is e-filing really stable?
While e-filing is convenient, you may be worried about security — especially with all these data breaches. But experts agree that this isn’t an issue which should dissuade you from e-filing.
“In fact, it may be more secure than paper filing as you’re sending your personal information through an encrypted network rather than exposing your data in the mail.”
Dennis Chow, vice president of information security at SCIS Security, clarifies the IRS has put safety measures in place to keep your information secure. “Vendors typically utilize IRS specific APIs that need ab sessions,” Chow says. “All this can be routed over TLS encrypted connections.”
It’s very important to use a trusted service to assist you record your taxes. Chow advises to not e-file on a computer or use an internet connection that isn’t private.
Bottom line
For most taxpayers, it makes sense to e-file a yield because it’s the most convenient way to file your tax information to the IRS and it allows for timely refunds and easy payment choices. Just be sure that you use tax planning software from a dependable source, so that you may make certain the information you provide to transmit to the IRS is going to be kept secure.