The process of submitting tax returns over the Internet, using tax preparation software that has been pre-approved by the relevant tax authority, such as the IRS or the Canada Revenue Agency. E-filing has manifold benefits; the taxpayer can file a tax return from the comfort of home, at any convenient time, once the tax agency begins accepting returns.
Since e-filed returns can be processed much faster than paper returns, the taxpayer can generally expect a faster tax refund, if applicable. The benefits of e-filing have made it increasingly popular in recent years. E-filing saves the tax agency time and money, because the tax data is transmitted directly into its computers, significantly reducing the possibility of keying and input errors.