Dave Ramsey Home Insurance – What to Consider When Filing My Taxes Online

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Is e-filing a better way to file your taxes? 

Americans and the IRS might not agree about everything, but they’re mostly on the same page when it comes to e-filing individual income tax returns.

The majority of individual income tax returns filed to the IRS are e-filed. 

When you e-file your federal income tax return, you conserve the IRS cash because its employees don’t need to spend time manually processing your return. In return, you can get any refund you are owed quicker, especially in the event that you have it directly deposited to your bank account.

But what about security?  And can digital filing actually provide you access to all of the forms that you may need in case you’ve got a complex tax situation?  Are there situations when you can not e-file?  Let us look at the benefits of e-filing, and if it might be the very best filing option for your requirements.

If you’re thinking about e-filing, some of the advantages include:

  1. Quick confirmation your forms have been obtained: The IRS will confirm a tax filing has been received within one day of digital submission.  For paper filers, the IRS doesn’t send any acknowledgment your forms have arrived safely. 

  2. Timely refunds: When you submit a paper filing, it may take six to eight weeks to receive a tax refund.  With e-filing, you are going to receive your money in three weeks or less.  Choosing direct deposit can also accelerate the refund process.

  3. Reduced likelihood of mistakes: According to the IRS, there is approximately a 1 percent error rate on e-filed returns, compared with a 20% rate of errors on paper filings.  The IRS also provides more information on problems discovered on e-filed yields compared with paper returns.

  4. Simple payment procedure: If you owe the IRS money, it’s simpler to cover at your convenience when you e-file.  It’s possible to submit returns early and pay afterwards if needed, provided that you pay from the April 15 filing deadline.  Additionally you have the option to pay your balance by making use of the IRS Immediate pay service from the checking or savings accounts, submitting a credit card through a payment processor for a fee, or paying by check or money order.  Just be aware delaying payment following the filing due date (typically April 15) can result in interest and penalties.

  5. Digital storage of tax data: Submitting returns electronically means there’s a digital backup of your tax records.  If something happens to your paperwork, you will have a digital backup.

The good news: Most taxpayers do opt to e-file and get those benefits — and the process of doing so is easy.

The forms do the math for you and provide basic guidance.  You can only do your federal return with these forms. 

  • Utilize an online tax preparation tax or service software: Tax preparation software and online filing services are alternatives.  These choices are a simple way to complete and e-file your own forms.  Some applications suppliers charge for their programs, Some are free.   The software asks you simple questions about your life and finances to steer you through the completion of your types.  
  • Get free, in-person tax help: In most states, you can find volunteers to help prepare and e-file returns.  But eligibility for free aid is normally restricted based on earnings, and some providers appeal to specific demographic groups.  For example, Tax Counseling for the Elderly programs focus primarily on assisting filers who are 60 and older.  The IRS maintains a database of authorized providers, but you should be aware this alternative is very likely to be the most costly one. 

    • Using online tax prep software is far and away the preferred approach of the majority of taxpayers.  In fact, the IRS says it expected over four in five tax returns to be submitted through tax return prep software.

    Is e-filing really secure?

    While e-filing is suitable, you could worry about safety — particularly with all these data breaches.  But experts agree that this is not a problem which should deter you by e-filing.

    “E-filing a tax return has proven to be a very secure way to file your taxes,” states Scott Grissom, vice president of product direction, marketing and sales at LegalShield. “In actuality, it may be more secure than paper filing since you’re sending your personal information through an encrypted system as opposed to exposing your data in the email.”

    Dennis Chow, vice president of data security at SCIS Security, explains that the IRS has set security measures in place to keep your data secure.  “Vendors typically utilize IRS specific APIs that require token sessions,” Chow says.  “All this can be routed over TLS encrypted links .”

    It is very important to use a trustworthy service to assist you file your taxes.  Chow advises not to e-file on a computer or utilize an online connection which isn’t private.

    Bottom line

    For most taxpayers, it is sensible to e-file a yield because it’s the most convenient way to submit your tax information to the IRS and it allows for timely refunds and easy payment choices.  Just make sure to use tax preparation software from a trusted source, so you may make certain the information you provide to transmit to the IRS will be kept protected.