More than 1 million taxpayers have e-filed in the 1st 30 days of tax season

[February 21, 2009]  SPRINGFIELD -- Nearly 1.2 million taxpayers chose to get fast refunds and eliminate waste by filing their Illinois tax returns electronically during the first month of the filing season, a 13 percent increase over the same period last year.

Filing electronically dramatically reduces the amount of paper used during tax season, and the energy used to print, mail and handle all of the paper. In terms of tax booklets alone, the electronic filing allowed the department to save printing and mailing of 55 million sheets of paper for 2009.

Taxpayers can file electronically in one of three ways:

1. WebFile -- Taxpayers can file for free at tax.illinois.gov.

2. Tax professionals -- Taxpayers can tell their tax preparer to file their return electronically.

3. Tax preparation packages -- Taxpayers who purchase a tax preparation package can file it online instead of printing and mailing a return.

All three methods will result in faster refunds and environmental benefits.

"I am pleased Illinoisans are finding our electronic services helpful," said Brian Hamer, director of the Illinois Department of Revenue. "In times like these when families are struggling, we need to do everything we can to get tax refunds to taxpayers quickly and easily. By electronically filing and direct depositing their refund, taxpayers will see their Illinois refund in about a week and their federal refund in about 10 days."

In 2008, over 3.1 million or 52 percent of all IL-1040s were received through one of the electronic filing methods. Since the average tax return for individuals is three pages long, the department did not have to process and store approximately 10 million pieces of paper. If the 3.1 million IL-1040 returns and attachments were laid end to end, they would start out in Springfield and end up just outside of San Diego, Calif.

The Illinois Department of Revenue continues to encourage taxpayers to file electronically at tax.illinois.gov or ask about e-filing when they visit their tax preparer. Electronic filing is fast, easy and, by reducing the use of paper, is environmentally friendly.

[Text from Illinois Department of Revenue file received from the Illinois Office of Communication and Information]