Online tax filing continues at brisk pace

More taxpayers than ever are filing their federal returns online this year, the IRS said yesterday.

Through March 19, taxpayers filed more than 43 million 2003 returns electronically, an 11.4 percent increase from 2003, the IRS said. Of these, nearly 10 million returns have been self-prepared on a home computer and submitted through the IRS' online filing system, called e-file.

"Home computer users are on a record pace to use e-file this year," said IRS Commissioner Mark Everson. "People are discovering that e-filing is the fastest, easiest way to do their taxes. There are fewer errors, and taxpayers get their refunds in less than half the time of paper returns."

Businesses, the self-employed, charities and nonprofit organizations also can file their returns online.

In 2002, taxpayers filed 53 million returns electronically, according to the IRS.