Comments on: IRS Claims 2 Out of 3 Taxpayers Now E-File http://www.taxgirl.com/irs-claims-2-out-of-3-taxpayers-now-e-file/ Paying taxes is painful... but reading about them shouldn't be. Sun, 12 Feb 2012 17:55:29 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.3 By: Kelly http://www.taxgirl.com/irs-claims-2-out-of-3-taxpayers-now-e-file/comment-page-1/#comment-12763 Kelly Wed, 04 Nov 2009 12:39:46 +0000 http://www.taxgirl.com/?p=4256#comment-12763 ThomasT, source was initially email so it wasn't easily linkable but here's the press release from IRS: http://www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=214853,00.html It's through mid-October (IRS works on quarters, so data is often keyed to the 15th day following the quarter). I'm not bashing e-filing. I just think IRS is *overly* excited about these numbers which I think are directly attributable to the stimulus. I also think they represent a lot of fraudulent returns (I say this based on the number of emails I received from taxpayers who basically asked how to cheat to get a stimulus check, as well as anecdotes from my peers). Giving people money they're not entitled to faster isn't a good use of resources IMHO. ;) ThomasT, source was initially email so it wasn’t easily linkable but here’s the press release from IRS: http://www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=214853,00.html

It’s through mid-October (IRS works on quarters, so data is often keyed to the 15th day following the quarter).

I’m not bashing e-filing. I just think IRS is *overly* excited about these numbers which I think are directly attributable to the stimulus. I also think they represent a lot of fraudulent returns (I say this based on the number of emails I received from taxpayers who basically asked how to cheat to get a stimulus check, as well as anecdotes from my peers). Giving people money they’re not entitled to faster isn’t a good use of resources IMHO. ;)

]]> By: ThomasT http://www.taxgirl.com/irs-claims-2-out-of-3-taxpayers-now-e-file/comment-page-1/#comment-12762 ThomasT Wed, 04 Nov 2009 12:34:58 +0000 http://www.taxgirl.com/?p=4256#comment-12762 Link to source would've been nice. What's the cut-off date for the 2009 year-to-date data? I'd be surprised if it includes returns from the 10/15 deadline, even if it's been released since then. No reason to conclude yet that the steady upward trend of total returns by year will not continue by the time 2009 is over, based on the data as you've presented it. Though 2008's spike may well be caused by people who had to file more than one year's return in order to qualify for the stimulus. But even if 2009 got to 146 million, it would be on the same trend line with the other years, with 2oo8 as an outlier. And so what if people are e-filing to get refunds quicker? It saves data entry expense on the IRS side, AND benefits the taxpayer directly. Link to source would’ve been nice. What’s the cut-off date for the 2009 year-to-date data? I’d be surprised if it includes returns from the 10/15 deadline, even if it’s been released since then. No reason to conclude yet that the steady upward trend of total returns by year will not continue by the time 2009 is over, based on the data as you’ve presented it. Though 2008′s spike may well be caused by people who had to file more than one year’s return in order to qualify for the stimulus. But even if 2009 got to 146 million, it would be on the same trend line with the other years, with 2oo8 as an outlier.

And so what if people are e-filing to get refunds quicker? It saves data entry expense on the IRS side, AND benefits the taxpayer directly.

]]> By: “Complexity of Tax Law” Not a Challenge for IRS? | taxgirl http://www.taxgirl.com/irs-claims-2-out-of-3-taxpayers-now-e-file/comment-page-1/#comment-12746 “Complexity of Tax Law” Not a Challenge for IRS? | taxgirl Tue, 03 Nov 2009 01:23:05 +0000 http://www.taxgirl.com/?p=4256#comment-12746 [...] theft is a growing concern as more and more taxpayer data is stored in IRS computer systems and transmitted online. The IRS has demonstrated, through internal audits, that there are concerns with respect to both [...] [...] theft is a growing concern as more and more taxpayer data is stored in IRS computer systems and transmitted online. The IRS has demonstrated, through internal audits, that there are concerns with respect to both [...]

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