There’s absolutely nothing wrong with gathering all your tax documents and heading to your tax accountant to file your taxes. However, have you considered the great innovations that have taken place with online tax preparation software? Many American taxpayers now file their taxes online through an online tax preparation website or the e-file federal tax return online option being offered by the IRS. If you are interested in filing your taxes online, it offers many convenient benefits.

Here’s a few tips on how to reap the benefits you deserve by e-filing your taxes online:

1. Cost savings
If you hire a tax accountant at a place like H&R Block, you are going to pay a hefty price to have your tax returns prepared. This is even true if you are a short-form filer. The decision to prepare and file your taxes online is likely going to save you a decent amount of money. If you choose the e-file federal tax return option, you would be able to do so for free, your time investment being the only cost. If you choose an online option like TurboTax, you’ll pay a fee, but it’s a reasonable fee.

2. Security
The ability to protect your personal data should always be one of your top concerns. If you have other people prepare your taxes, they have to have access to your information. They might actually want to keep copies of it for their files. If you prepare your taxes online, your information goes into a secure database for your eyes only. However, keep in mind that you should only do taxes online using security protected wifi networks or a secure VPN.

3. Receive reminders about potential deductions
One of the great innovations brought to market by the online tax preparation industry has been the introduction of software platforms that interact with customers. As you fill in your information and tax data, these systems are able to anticipate certain realities about your tax circumstances. They use algorithms to prompt the software to suggest certain tax deductions you may qualify to claim. Just one suggestion that leads to tax savings could be enough to pay the website’s online tax preparation fee.

4. Time savings and efficiency
If you were to prepare your own taxes with pencil and paper, you would likely spend hours and even days trying to complete this task. You also stand the chance of making mistakes or missing something important. With a tax preparation software platform, you are supported throughout the entire process. As long as you have all your tax documents at hand, you’ll find the process is very efficient. Everything is done sequentially, which serves to keep you organized. You’ll also benefit by the software doing all the math calculations, eliminating the possibility of math errors. When everything is done, you’ll have the option to immediately file your return electronically, again saving you a lot of time.

It’s time to start thinking about submitting your federal and state tax returns. If you choose the online filing option through a website like TurboTax, you can get your taxes done fast and efficiently with a minimum of problems. If cost is one of your concerns, you can still file your taxes online through the IRS e-file option.