Pennsylvanians embrace electronic tax filing

by Damon Boughamer
Public Radio Capitol News, serving Pennsylvania

Harrisburg, Penna. (PRCN, 23 May 2007) - More Pennsylvanians than ever filed tax returns electronically this year.

Electronic filing methods include internet and telephone.

Revenue department spokeswoman Stephanie Weyant says more than 2.9 million people - about half of all individual taxpayers - filed electronically this year.

She says the figure reflects the continuation of a trend.

"Pennsylvania has offered electronic filing since 1997. And each and every year, we've seen a dramatic increase in the number of people who are choosing to file their income taxes electronically. Just from last year to this year, we saw a 7 percent increase in the number of people who filed electronically," Weyant says.

Payments and refunds are also being processed electronically more often.

More than half a million taxpayers received refunds through direct deposit.

Nearly a quarter million paid their taxes through automated checking withdrawal or with a credit card.