Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Daniel K. Akaka announced today he is sponsoring the Free Internet Filing Act, with Senator Jeff Bingaman (D-NM) as a cosponsor.  The bill would allow individual taxpayers to file returns directly through the IRS website.  Currently, individual taxpayers must rely on tax preparation companies to electronically file.  Electronic filing helps taxpayers receive their refunds faster, while reducing errors and IRS administrative costs.

"If taxpayers take the time to prepare their own returns, they should have the right to file electronically, directly with the IRS," Akaka said today.  "Taxpayers should not be forced to share their private financial information with a third-party company in order to file electronically, especially in this era of increasing identify theft.  I want to provide every individual taxpayer the ability to electronically file their taxes at no cost, without having to use a commercial tax preparer."                

Several consumer advocate groups have voiced their support for Akaka's bill, including U.S. PIRG, the National Consumer Law Cener, the Consumer Federation of America, Consumer Action, Center for Economic Progress, California Reinvestment Coalition, Neighborhood Economic Development Advocacy Project and in Akaka's home state, the Hawaii Alliance for Community Based Economic Development.

Senator Akaka's floor statement and letters of support from consumer advocate groups can be found at this web address:

http://akaka.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Speeches.Home&month=3&year=2007&release_id=1624

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