Tax pros get more Web options

Internal Revenue Service officials expanded their Web-based services for professional tax preparers this month, with the expectation that e-services will entice more professional preparers to submit their returns online.

The new services are a part of the agency's effort to modernize its tax systems. They offer secure Internet connections for professional tax preparers to register with the IRS and apply for preparer tax identification numbers. The services also allow preparers to resolve taxpayer account problems and complete other tax administration procedures.

A spokesman for the vendor alliance responsible for IRS e-services issued a statement today saying the tax preparer services will contribute to greater IRS efficiency by reducing paper processing. Paul Cofoni, president of the federal sector group at Computer Sciences Corp., said the new services "will vastly improve the accuracy and speed of the IRS responses to more than a billion queries and transactions each year."

The e-services are available to professional tax preparers around the clock.