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PAGE 18, NOVEMBER 3, 2008, THE ISLANDER
For individual and business e-File, 2008 is a record breaker
Individual taxpayers e-filed als from their home computers, During 2008, taxpayers
almost 90 million tax returns up from 22.6 million last year with an adjusted gross income
during 2008, an increase of - a 19% increase. Filings from of $54,000 or less, or about
more than 12% over the prior home computers accounted for 70% of individual taxpayers,
year. Of the 155 million tax 30% of all returns e-filed by had the option of choosing to
returns filed, about 58% were individuals. Even though indi- e-file for free through
filed electronically. vidual tax filings were spurred IRS Free File, a partner-
“More people with home to unprecedented levels by the ship between the IRS and
computers and busi
nesses embraced elec
tronic filing this year,"
said IRS Commissioner
Doug Shulman. “Every
year, more people real
ize that electronic filing
is the safe, accurate way
for taxpayers to com
plete their taxes and get
faster refunds.”
Tax Returns Filed by
Individuals
While the total
number of returns has
increased by 23% dur
ing the past decade, the
number filed electronically has economic stimulus payments, some software manufacturers,
increased by 206%. the percentage of those e-filed Almost 4.8 million tax returns
This year, almost 27 million increased to 58%. were filed through Free File,
returns were filed by individu- Free File an increase of 24% over last
Year
Total Returns
e-Filed Returns
% of total e-filed
1999
125,900,000
29,349,000
23.31%
2000
128,430,000
35,412,000
27.57%
2001
130,965,000
40,244,000
30.73%
2002
131,728,000
46,892,000
35.60%
2003
131,557,000
52,944,000
40.24%
2004
132,200,000
61,507,000
46.53%
2005
133,933,000
68,476,000
51.13%
2006
136,071,000
73,255,000
53.84%
2007
140,188,000
79,979,000
57.05%
2008
155,490,000
89,886,000
57.80%
year’s total of almost 3.9 mil
lion returns.
Refunds: Direct Deposit and
IRS.gov Set Records
More taxpayers chose to
receive their refunds through
direct deposit during 2008.
The agency made 66 million
direct deposit payments in
2008, up 8% from 61 million
payments at the same time in
2007.
Overall, the IRS issued 107
million tax refund payments
in 2008, up almost 2% from
105 million refund payments
for the same time in 2007. As
of Oct. 31, the average refund
for 2008 was $2,371, up 4%
from $2,280 at the same time
in 2007.
IRS.gov
The IRS Internet site, IRS.
gov, continues to be a con
venient source of federal tax
information that consumers
can trust, and the site’s popu
larity continues to increase. As
of Oct. 18, IRS.gov had been
visited 326,522,488 times.
Tax Returns e-Filed by
Businesses
Businesses also broke e-file
records during 2008 by fil
ing almost 2 million corporate
and partnership income tax
returns, an increase of more
than 50% over the prior year.
Partnership e-filings saw the
steepest increase. Large part
nerships, those with more
than 100 partners, e-filed
more than 27,000 returns dur
ing 2008, up 156% compared
to the prior year’s total.
Corporations and part
nerships e-filed 1,944,421
tax returns during 2008, up
50% from last year’s total of
1,294,475. The total number
for e-filed returns that were
not filed by individuals was
3,365,757, up 65% from last
year’s total of 2,172,753. This
number includes forms e-filed
by exempt organizations.
For more information visit,
www.irs.gov. □
IRS announces 2009 Standard Mileage Rates
option of calculating the actu
al costs of using their vehicle
The Internal Revenue Ser- for the second half of 2008 that tor in the mileage rate, other after claiming a Section 179 rather than using the standard
vice today issued the 2009 were raised by a special adjust- fixed and variable costs, such deduction for that vehicle. In mileage rates,
optional standard mileage rates ment mid-year in response to as depreciation, enter the cal- addition, the business standard Revenue Procedure 2008-72
used to calculate the deductible a spike in gasoline prices. The culation. mileage rate cannot be used for contains additional informa-
costs of operating an automo- rate for charitable purposes is The standard mileage rate any vehicle used for hire or for tion on these standard mileage
bile for business, charitable
medical or moving purposes.
Beginning on Jan. 1, 2009,
set by law and is unchanged for business is based on an more than four vehicles used rates.
from 2008.
The business mileage rate variable costs of operating an
the standard mileage rates for was 50.5 cents in the first half automobile. The rate for med-
the use of a car (also vans, pick- of 2008 and 58.5 cents in the ical and moving purposes
annual study of the fixed and simultaneously. For more information visit,
Taxpayers always have the www.irs.gov. □
is
ups or panel trucks) will be: second half. The medical and based on the variable costs as
• 55 cents per mile for busi- moving rate was 19 cents in determined by the same study,
ness miles driven the first half and 27 cents in Independent contractor Run-
• 24 cents per mile driven for the second half. zheimer International conduct-
medical or moving purposes
The mileage rates for 2009 ed the study.
14 cents per mile driven in reflect generally higher trans- A taxpayer may not use the
service of charitable organiza- portation costs compared to a business standard mileage rate
tions year ago, but the rates also for a vehicle after using any
The new rates for business, factor in the recent reversal of depreciation method under
medical and moving purposes rising gasoline prices. While the Modified Accelerated Cost
are slightly lower than rates gasoline is a significant fac- Recovery System (MACRS) or
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