One Billion
You are part of the Billion!
IRS efile has reached a major milestone as it passed the one-billion mark for individual tax returns processed safely and securely since 1986. The IRS’s electronic filing program started as a pilot project in 1986 and became available nationally in 1990. IRS efile passed another high point as more than 100 million individual tax returns were efiled during the 2011 filing season.
“IRS efile is a good deal for taxpayers,” said IRS Commissioner Douglas H. Shulman. “The one billion milestone means efile has delivered real services to taxpayers, including faster refunds and more accurate tax returns. And because an efile return costs us 20 times less to process than a paper return, this program means a more efficient government that has saved America’s taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars.”
Congress originally set an 80-percent goal for the electronic filing of federal tax and information returns in 1998. Currently, more than 79 percent of taxpayers used efile to submit their tax returns in 2011. Also, in 2011 tax return preparers who filed 100 or more returns were required to efile. For 2012, return preparers who file 11 or more returns will be required to efile, which should put the IRS within reach of its goal of an 80-percent efile rate for individual tax returns.
From our perspective efile has given us opportunities to better serve our clients. Within minutes we can tell you the status of your refund. In the past this may have taken weeks. We find that you receive less correspondence from the IRS.