File Taxes Online
The IRS expects more than 100 million taxpayers to file their taxes online for the 2009 tax year. Here are some tips to make e-filing as easy as possible.
Latest Online Filing Stories
- Social Security Number or Taxpayer Identification Number.
- The filing status you used when filing your return.
- Your expected refund amount (in whole dollars).
Taxpayers using free e-file system get refunds just as fast as loans
![](https://web.archive.org/web/20101121060631im_/http://www.blogcdn.com/www.walletpop.com/blog/media/2010/08/taxes.jpg)
Anyone with an adjusted gross income of $57,000 or less can use the FREE online tax preparation site maintained by the Internal Revenue Service. That's about 70 percent of all U.S. filers, according to the IRS.
The agency can process a return and issue a refund within 10 days, Commissioner Doug Shulman says. That's down from as long as 8 weeks in prior years.
"Refund Anticipation Loans are often targeted at lower-income taxpayers," Shulman said. "With e-file and direct deposit, these taxpayers now have other ways to quickly access their cash."
So next time tax season rolls around, use the IRS website to file and get some cold, hard cash delivered quickly to your bank account without paying high fees for a short-term loan.
States hoping to cash in on casino gambling playing a long shot
![Craps table](https://web.archive.org/web/20101121060631im_/http://www.blogcdn.com/www.walletpop.com/blog/media/2010/08/tablegames.f5a32e0222154b518fd6ba68576614c3.jpg)
States such as Ohio, New York, and Massachusetts are adding casinos and "racinos" (horse race tracks with slot machines, and, in some states, table games such as poker). These will join an existing 443 commercial casinos, 456 Native American ones, 44 racinos, 588 card rooms and 11,215 electronic gaming devices sites. Overall, in the U.S. about 833,000 slot machines operate today.
Adding an Internet sales tax in an election year - you must be kidding
![Adding an Internet sales tax in an election year - you must be kidding](https://web.archive.org/web/20101121060631im_/http://www.blogcdn.com/www.walletpop.com/blog/media/2010/07/internet.shopping.sales.tax.robyn-beck.for-afp.getty.jpg)
The bill, dubbed the Main Street Fairness Act, was explained thoroughly earlier this month by Walletpop Blogger Josh Smith. In short, the measure was introduced by Rep. Bill Delahunt, a Taxachusetts Democrat, who argues that it is unfair to local businesses that online businesses escape paying sales tax.
The history of the battle over taxes goes back to a court ruling in 1992 when the Supreme Court confirmed that it was indeed too onerous and costly for businesses to calculate state and local taxes because they vary so much from state to state.
House committee passes bill to legalize -- and tax -- online casinos
![](https://web.archive.org/web/20101121060631im_/http://www.blogcdn.com/www.walletpop.com/blog/media/2010/07/online-gaming-1280419445.jpg)
According to Bloomberg Businessweek, the House Financial Services Committee has approved a bill that would allow Internet gaming to be offered by companies licensed by the Treasury Department. The companies will be required to operate from U.S. soil.
Another measure, yet to be passed by the House Ways & Means Committee, would tax online gambling, which could bring in as much as $42 billion in revenue over the next decade. The money would be split between the federal (25%) and state governments (75%).
Last-minute IRS income tax filers lined up as the band played on
![Band plays for last-minute tax filers](https://web.archive.org/web/20101121060631im_/http://www.blogcdn.com/www.walletpop.com/blog/media/2010/04/taxnightdickerphtoo.jpg)
Inside, hundreds fidgeted in line and scribbled on forms and checks wherever they could find a flat surface. It was a moment played out in post offices across the country. About 20% of taxpayers submit their returns within the last two weeks, the IRS estimates. Anthony Diaz was proud to occupy the extremely late end of that bunch.
MyTaxRefund: Free iPhone app to track your tax refund
![Track tax refunds with MyTaxRefund app](https://web.archive.org/web/20101121060631im_/http://www.blogcdn.com/www.walletpop.com/blog/media/2010/04/apptotrackirsreturn.jpg)
The new tool only works for individuals who e-file their taxes. It only takes a few seconds to use. All you need to do to track the status of your tax refund from the iPhone is install the MyTaxRefund app, answer two questions and you'll have the current status of your tax refund. You don't need to file using TurboTax to track your refund status with this app.
TurboTax Home and Business Review: Easy last minute tax prep solution
![](https://web.archive.org/web/20101121060631im_/http://www.blogcdn.com/www.walletpop.com/blog/media/2010/04/tax.form.getty-rf.jpg)
First off, the thing I like about the TurboTax online tool is that you can use it all the way up to actually filing without paying anything and even log back in if you get interrupted and need to walk away. If you've been leery about trying out a tax preparation tool I recommend checking out the online version as it is risk free. If you feel overwhelmed you can always walk away without losing any money.
Tax coupons for discounts are yours to claim
![](https://web.archive.org/web/20101121060631im_/http://www.blogcdn.com/www.walletpop.com/blog/media/2010/03/tax.papers.chair.getty-rf.jpg)
CouponShack.com shares several coupons that make doing your own taxes cheaper -- whether you're filing online or purchasing software to prepare taxes on your computer.
Check on the status of your tax refund in seconds
![IRS tax refund](https://web.archive.org/web/20101121060631im_/http://www.blogcdn.com/www.walletpop.com/blog/media/2010/02/irs-1267209846.jpg)
If you want to check the status of your refund online, you can do so directly on the IRS Web site. Visit the IRS' online refund tool or the Spanish version of the tool. The Web sites are available 24/7.
To check on the status of your refund, you'll need the following information:
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