This raises some interesting security issues. Elsewhere is was reported that no encryption is used between the home PC and the central transmission site. --------------------------- forwarded from alt.internet.services: I`ve gotten many request for further info so I`ll just repost the details here. Dave Hi, I've been involved with electronic tax filing (EFT) for six years now. I develope and sell a tax filing package which allows you to basically enter the data from a completed return and transfer directly to the IRS or to one of our transmission sites. This is a tax filing not a tax prep program. Our main market is tax preparers who buy the program and transmitt direct to the IRS, tax preparers who register with us and transmitt returns to us to transmitt to the IRS and tax preparers who fax us returns and we enter the data and transmitt. The IRS has several transmission sites all over the country which processes everybody`s returns. And they have a set schedule of when a refund is sent. Basically returns are processed every Tuesday night. What this means is that if your return has been sent and passed the IRS acceptanced tests by Monday night the IRS will process it Tuesday and if you do direct deposit it will be in your bank account in 10 days, if you have it mailed it will be mailed in 12 days. If your interested in doing EFT from your home IBM or clone let me know. We also work with non tax preparers who have registered with the IRS to do electronic filing and have a electronic filing indentification number (EFIN). The IRS can give you these rather quickly, they do a background check to see if you do not owe back taxes or have been convicted of any felonies and if that works you get a EFIN. Once you have an EFIN we can work with you to set you up for EFT. Basically if you transmitt to us we give you the software and charge you per return. What you do is find your clients ( and they are your clients you must see then personally and have them sign a EFT form which gets sent with their W2s to the IRS by you ) enter there returns with our software and send to one of our transmission sites. If your interested in filing taxes electronicaly ( not preparing ) you need to contact the IRS to get your EFIN number. There is no fee to get a EFIN number, you must file a form with the IRS and pass their background check. If you do this and would like to work with us you need to register which is $20. After that we will send you the data entry program and the charge will be $3 per return with a minimun charge of $5 for each data file of returns you send us. This simple means that you send us a data file over modem of 1 return we will charge $5. If it has 2 returns it would be $6 which is $3 per return. After you file 100 returns through us the price will drop to $2 per return but there will still be the $5 minimun per data file ( a data file can have up to 500 returns ). What you charge the taxpayer for filing his taxes is your decision. Charges vary from around $15 to $75 for filing. If you want to register call 614-676-1333 or 614-676-5666 but contact the IRS first to get your EFIN. Electronic filing runs from Jan 11 to Aug 15. Thanks Dave ------------------------------------------------------------------------- To find out more about this anonymous remail service, send mail to remail@tamsun.tamu.edu with the word "remail help" as the only words in the subject field.