Eco-friendly Tax Preparation

Anyone who receives mail knows what it’s like to have stacks of paper sitting on the kitchen table awaiting a trip to the recycling bin.  Eco-conscious individuals may experience a great deal of frustration, since there often seems to be little they can do to stop the waste flow.

Take control over paper consumption by filing your taxes online.  This act saves large amounts of paper, speeds up the process, minimizes errors, and keeps audits at bay while putting eco-friendly ideals into action.

The Internal Revenue Service supports tax-related paper conservation by promoting “e-filing.”  They encourage individuals and businesses to file over the internet and they provide related resources on the IRS Web site.  In fact, if you made less than $54,000 in 2007, you can file for free, using the site set up by the IRS.

Other tax filing businesses offer their services online.  Some Web sites compel people to file online and avoid the waste of paper by offering state tax preparation for a small fee and federal tax preparation for free.

Check out these Web sites for more information:

• Express1040.com offers free federal returns and state returns for less than $10, all online.

• TaxEngine.com

  charges a larger fee for both federal and state returns but claims to have an extremely user-friendly interface.

If you prefer to do your taxes with a tax filing software program, you may save money in the long run.  An initial investment in a software program can keep your tax filing current, efficient, and eco-friendly for years to come.

See these product descriptions for more detail:

• TurboTax offers a number of different packages for various tax filing needs.  If you have your own business or expenses that require special attention or investments, find the package that most closely meets your needs and file electronically on your own.

• TAXSites.com offers a comprehensive list of software options if your tax filing needs are on a much larger, more complex scale than individual returns.

Many large businesses with a significant number of employees have even gone as far as posting W-2 forms and payslips online.  Talk with your human resources or payroll department to see if this could possible next year and plan next year’s green tax strategy far in advance.