Real taxmen of genius
Tax authorities are really pushing electronic filing these days. Now that the IRS and comptroller's office are well set to receive electronic returns, it saves tons of money. They're getting out the message in different ways. I still file on paper. The IRS found a bogus reason to delay my refund -- on my itemized deductions I had forgotten to distinguish noncash charitable donations from cash donations. In the accompanying letter the agency said -- I'm paraphrasing -- if you had filed electronically, this would have happened to you.
In Maryland, here's a funny video from Comptroller Peter Franchot pushing e-filing with a takeoff on the "real men of genius" beer commercials. The singer fabulously bad. I can't get the video to embed, but the link is here.
Comments
Comp. Schaefer first asked for e-filing. I shot a note to him that I wasn't about to spend $15 in order to save MD a buck-fifty. The next year he had iFile ready. I still buy a tax program which has Fed and MD. It includes Fed e-file and then I copy the MD info into MD iFile. Works like a champ.
Posted by: mapuser | June 8, 2009 5:34 PM
Don't you still have to mail in the copies of W-2's and Schedule A's?
Posted by: NotableM | June 8, 2009 8:36 PM
I'll check into iFile for MD next year. I currently use Turbotax online and can completely do the taxes in a couple hours IF I have all the various papers in one place (big if!) I filed at the end of March this year and had my Maryland refund in 5 days and my federal refund in about 10 days.
NotableM, you don't need to send in anything. The IRS can access your W-2s and most of the other statements electronically. You need to have the paperwork for your records in doing the taxes and in case you are audited, but you don't need to mail anything.
Posted by: Mar | June 9, 2009 9:42 AM