News Release
January 9, 2012
Ready, Set...File
Ohio opens electronic filing season today for income
taxes
For those who hate to wait, the Ohio Department of Taxation
today opened its doors for electronic filing of the 2011 Ohio
income or school district tax return.
While paper tax returns will always be handled, the
department is encouraging taxpayers to take advantage of the
ease, convenience and speed of electronic filing — benefits
that helped convince eight of every 10 taxpayers to file
electronically last year.
The biggest benefit, of course, for most taxpayers is a
speedy refund. Electronic filers typically see their refund
deposited directly in their bank within five to seven days –
significantly quicker than with paper returns.
If you want to join the electronic crowd, Ohio offers a few
electronic filing options:
-
I-File: This Web-based software asks
taxpayers a series of questions, then compiles a state or
school district income tax return based on their answers.
I-File will even do the math, and it’s free.
-
eFile: Taxpayers who file through paid
preparers or who use commercial software to prepare a
return to file through the IRS e-file program.
-
TeleFile: Ohio’s dial-by-telephone filing
method.
With so many Ohio taxpayers now choosing the benefits of
filing electronically, the Department of Taxation is no
longer mailing paper income tax booklets and forms to
individual taxpayers. Tax Commissioner Joe Testa said the
decision provides big financial savings, “Last year, more
than 97% of the forms we mailed to taxpayers were not used so
we decided to stop printing and mailing them. This will save
Ohio taxpayers more than $1 million a year.”
However, for those who need or want a paper booklet and
forms, the department is making about 500,000 instruction
booklets available at various libraries, banks and post
offices around the state. The department will also send
these materials to any taxpayer who requests them.
# # #
(For more information, contact Gary Gudmundson,
Communications Director, at (614)466-0099.)