More Americans Have Privacy and Security Concerns About Using Technology to File Tax Returns

News provided by

Taxsoftware.com

Feb 06, 2012, 07:00 ET

BETHESDA, Md., Feb. 6, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- A majority of Americans are concerned that their personal and financial information would not be kept private and secure if they file their state and federal tax returns on the Internet, according to the results of a new national poll. The survey was commissioned by Taxsoftware.com, which launched the first iPad app for federal tax returns in 2011. Taxsoftware.com is also offering this year, for the first time, e-filing for form 1040-SS, U.S. Self-Employment Tax Return (Including the Additional Child Tax Credit for Bona Fide Residents of Puerto Rico).  Please see more information at http://www.taxsoftware.com/stepbystep_1040ss.htm.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20111101/PH96668LOGO )

This year, apprehension spiked over security and privacy issues related to every high-tech device people would use to file tax returns, including smart phones (54 percent), desktop computers (53 percent), laptop computers (52 percent), personal digital assistants (41 percent) and iPads (41 percent).

Comparisons between the 2012 and 2011 Taxsoftware.com survey results follow:

  • 54 percent now have some level of concern about using smart phones, up from 43 percent last year
  • 53 percent now have some level of concern about using desktop computers, versus 49 percent in 2011
  • 52 percent now have some level of concern about using their laptop computers, up from 44 percent last year
  • 41 percent now have some level of concern about using personal digital assistants, versus 32 percent in 2011
  • 41 percent now have some level of concern about using iPads, up from 31 percent last year

"While Internet-related security issues are weighing more heavily on the minds of taxpayers today than in 2011, it's important to keep the latest poll numbers in perspective.  When our survey was first conducted in 1997, a whopping 83% percent of Americans had worries about Internet-based tax filing.  The lesson here is that, over time, tens of millions of people have grown comfortable filing their taxes online," said Taxsoftware.com spokesperson Mickey Macedo.          

"Whether this year's spike in concerns is a blip or a trend, only time will tell," Macedo said.         

The survey was conducted Jan. 30-31, 2012 by Ipsos, and has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percent. The survey consisted of national sample of 1,006 responses by adults 18 years of age or older from Ipsos' U.S. online panel and were interviewed online.  The sample's composition reflects that of the U.S. adult population according to U.S. Census data.

Media Contact: Mickey Macedo, +1-301-320-7080
E-Mail address: [email protected]

SOURCE Taxsoftware.com

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