For Immediate Release
Date: March 29, 2007
Contact: Maura Browning
Phone: (573) 751-8222

Taxpayers Encouraged to File Electronically as Tax Season Comes to a Close

        JEFFERSON CITY – As taxpayers handed the Missouri Department of Revenue a perfect storm of early and electronic filing, Department Director Trish Vincent encouraged taxpayers who have not yet filed to file electronically.  To date, more Missouri taxpayers have filed now compared to last year, and more have used electronic filing methods as well.

        For taxpayers, filing electronically offers immediate proof of filing and increased accuracy. Since electronic filing sends data directly to the processing system, taxpayers sidestep any potential keying errors. It also offers the taxpayer a refund via direct deposit, which is available only when taxpayers file electronically. For example, a return filed on a Tuesday can result in a direct deposit refund on Thursday.

        “Filing electronically speeds up the system on many fronts,” said Vincent. “Taxpayers may find it reduces the time and effort spent preparing their tax returns, it reduces the chance of filing errors, and it offers the direct deposit option. For the department, it allows us to rapidly process hundreds of thousands of tax returns and refunds in a very short time.”

        Over 95 percent of all income tax forms can be filed electronically using tax preparation software or a tax practitioner approved by the IRS (called Electronic Return Originators or ERO’s). Taxpayers also have the option of downloading fill-in forms from the department’s website at www.dor.mo.gov and printing out a 2D-barcoded return that can be processed quickly.

        For more information regarding electronic filing options, visit the Missouri Department of Revenue’s web site at www.dor.mo.gov/tax, or call (573) 751-3505.

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