Most people (54%) file their tax returns electronically now because it's convenient, despite lingering concerns about the security of their most sensitive financial information, according to a new AP-AOL Money & Finance poll. Half of those surveyed said they use a professional tax preparer to file their returns, a quarter use a software program, 15% do the returns the old-fashioned way with pen and paper, and 8% ask a friend or family member for help, according to the survey conducted by Ipsos, an international polling firm. Most say e-filing is "very convenient," but people are less convinced it's "very safe," the poll found. According to the IRS, about 45% of returns were filed electronically through the first week of April 2001 compared to close to 70% in April 2007.
More than six in 10 who were polled April 2-4 said they had already filed their taxes. The average time spent preparing their returns was just over eight hours. Only about one in 10 admitted to being a procrastinator who would barely make the deadline, and admitting to feeling stressed. Two-thirds said they expect to get money back. More than half of those polled, 53%, said they think their taxes are fair, according to the poll of 1,000 adults (a sampling error of plus or minus 3%). Middle-income earners were more likely to feel the taxes they pay are fair than those with high incomes and those with low incomes, who were about evenly split on the question.
News source: Physorg
3 Comments - Add comment