The Computer & Communications Industry Association applauds Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell’s signing into law HB 1349, which will create a Virginia Free File program modeled after the federal Free File Alliance. The Alliance is a partnership between the IRS and the electronic tax software industry.
The law announced today is a critical step forward in making sure every Virginian has the opportunity to electronically file their state returns. The program will allow several thousands of Virginians to electronically prepare and file their state returns at no cost. E-filing benefits taxpayers because they receive the deductions and credits for which they are eligible, and they get their refunds back quickly.
As state governments are strained by increasingly tight budgets, tools like the Free File Program are more important than ever. Virginia’s Free File Program will benefit the state by encouraging electronic filing, saving resources, since it is more costly to process a paper return.
The following quote can be attributed to CCIA President and CEO Ed Black:
“Free File provides a choice among free tax tools for Virginia income taxpayers. With Free File, taxpayers don’t have to spend hundreds of dollars on tax preparation fees and high interest refund loans. When taxpayers use the software programs available through the Free File Alliance, they are better able to identify all the credits and deductions for which they are eligible and that could return several thousand dollars to their wallets.
“The signing of this bill is an example of good government reform for the entire state and its taxpayers. This is another example of government and industry working together to benefit the public.
“The Free File Alliance is among the most innovative public/private/not-for-profit partnerships the technology industry has ever been a part of. It is great that the Commonwealth of Virginia has created a program on this model. It will give taxpayers statewide the choice of using one of as many as 20 different tax software products to prepare and file their federal tax returns online for free.”