Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!yale!cmcl2!rutgers!elbereth.rutgers.edu!medici From: medici@elbereth.rutgers.edu (Mark Medici) Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc Subject: Re: Electronic IRS Filing Software Message-ID: Date: 5 Feb 90 19:55:12 GMT References: <11250126@hpldola.HP.COM> Reply-To: medici@elbereth.rutgers.edu (Mark Medici) Organization: Rutgers Univ., New Brunswick, N.J. Lines: 30 In article <11250126@hpldola.HP.COM> ritchie@hpldola.HP.COM (Dave Ritchie) writes: >> >>I think you have to go to 'someone' (a company or independent CPA) >>authorized by the IRS to file electronically. >>And most likey they will charge a small fee. > > My wife works for H.R. Block and I think she said it's $12 ( this >price may vary by location). This is what most CPA/Tax mills charge in addition to their standard preparation fee. Although you may already have calculated your return and completed all the forms, the tax accountant still needs to key this information into the electronic forms. It takes the accountant as much time to transfer the info from your completed IRS forms as to enter that information from scratch. In most (all?) cases, the data entry portion of the electronic filing software is the same used for entering returns from scratch. Further, the accounting firm, as the submitter of the return, can be held accountable for errors in math and interpretation of tax law. Granted, $40.00 (or more) is a high price to pay to just have your prepared return filed electronicly. However, from the preparer's point of view, it is a reasonable fee. Especially since most CPA's file through one of a few service companies at a cost of $8-$12 per return. (You have to buy the service company's software, which costs upwards of $2,500/year). BTW, I'm not a CPA, but I have consulted for some. These are my own opinions/observations; take them or leave them.