Last year, Ruechel and her partner Charlotte Meschgaud filed about 1,000 returns electronically. Within 24 hours of filing, the computer will notify the preparer whether the return has errors. The tax preparer can make changes and resend it immediately. If the computer reports a balance due, the filer still has until April 16 to pay. Payment can go through the U.S. Postal Service.
Some firms charge a banking fee to take it directly out of an account.
Within 48 hours of e-filing, preparers will receive an acknowledgement that the documents were received. In the past, assembling paper copies of tax forms caused problems, Ruechel said. If preparers forgot to include a form or receipt, the return got sent back or the government notified the taxpayer that they made an error. Now, the only paper copies made go to the preparer and client in case of an audit. If a client got audited, it's easier to refer back to a hard copy, she added.