Some use phone, Web filing options


Monday, March 2, 1998	Some use phone, Web filing options Editor's note: This is the second story in a six-part series about the ins and outs of taxes. This story focuses on alternative methods of filing taxes. By ERIN HAZARD Collegian Staff Writer Get rid of the pencil and paper. The Internal Revenue Service is offering alternatives to those who cringe at the idea of calculating their taxes by hand. The IRS offers e-file, alternative ways to file, said Donna Hargrave, spokeswoman for the IRS. These methods are often a more accurate and quicker way to file, she said.
`The Digital Daily: The IRS's daily tax publication`	E-file is perfect for college students, Hargrave said, because they can receive their refunds in two to three weeks and also have the option of having the refunds directly deposited into their accounts. Taxpayers who fit a relatively simple tax profile may be selected for TeleFile, which allows them to do the work over the phone. Available nationally for the third year, this filing method enables taxpayers to file their taxes in about 10 to 15 minutes, Hargrave said. Those whose tax status has not changed in the past year and who do not have dependents are among those chosen by the IRS to be eligible to file by phone, Hargrave said. TeleFile is only available to those who are notified by the IRS, she added. "You can't just call and say 'hey, I want to TeleFile, send me a package,' " she said.
`E-file information`	This virtually paperless method of filing does the math for the filer, said Deb Snyder, press secretary for the state Department of Revenue, and it repeats the taxpayer's information for confirmation. Some states, including Pennsylvania, require TeleFile users to file their state and federal taxes at the same time, Snyder said, because information often overlaps. Pennsylvania is using the system for the first time, Snyder said. The state uses the same criteria as the IRS for selecting users, Snyder said. However, those who hate the idea of filing with pencil and paper, but aren't eligible for TeleFile, still have other options.
`"Students solutions to tax day differ" (The Daily Collegian, Feb. 26)`	Computer buffs can buy software packages tailored for filing taxes, Hargrave said. The software 1040PC, which is available at many computer stores, allows filers to complete their forms on the computer, print them out and mail them in, she said. On-line filing is also available for those with Internet access. With the proper software, taxpayers can transmit their taxes directly to the IRS, Hargrave said. The price of the software packages is market-driven, she said, but is generally under $50. Those whose taxes are a little more complicated can pay a fee and file electronically through a third party such as an accountant, Hargrave added. The various e-file methods help the government get refunds out much faster, because unlike the traditional method of filing, e-file methods eliminate computational errors, Hargrave said. "Now," she said, "most refunds take at most 40 days."