This past summer the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced the 2003 Exemplary Electronic Return Originators (EROs) award recipients at the Nationwide Tax Forums. An ERO is a tax firm that files income tax returns electronically with the IRS under the “IRS e-file” brand name. The award recipients were selected from each of the seven Wage & Investment Areas.

This is the sixth year that IRS has recognized EROs and it demonstrates the growing partnership between the IRS and EROs to increase the number of returns filed in the IRS e-file program. Electronic filing is important to the IRS for two reasons. First, returns filed electronically are more accurate and enable faster refunds, thus improving service for taxpayers.  Second, Congress has set as a goal of having all tax returns filed electronically by 2007.  About half of all taxpayers use paid tax preparers to file their tax returns. Converting the preparer industry to IRS e-file is a key element in the IRS strategy for meeting this Congressional goal.

Criteria for selection includes those EROs who filed the vast majority of their returns filed electronically, the returns were accepted the first time they were transmitted, as well as the use of Direct Deposit, and PIN Signature.

Awards will be given for each of the seven Areas, to a:

• Small Business Exemplary ERO (100 – 500 individual returns filed electronically, meeting all other set criteria)
• Large business Exemplary ERO (> 501 individual returns filed electronically, meeting all other set criteria)
• Sustained Superior Exemplary ERO (meeting all other set criteria including filing individual returns electronically through October 15th of the previous filing season).
• One 2003 Exemplary ERO National Champion selected from across the nation to be awarded at the last forum. Award given to an ERO / business that provides all of the IRS e-file products to their clients. Individual e-file, business e-file, and electronic payments, and continuing to file electronically through October 15th while meeting the set criteria.

The IRS is looking to expand the award program to include categories for:

• New ERO  (An ERO that signed up for the first time to be an electronic filer at  one of the Nationwide Tax Forums the previous year)
• ERO whose concentration is filing of business returns and electronic payments

2003 Exemplary ERO National Champion
Bennett E. Shifman, CPA
dba Bennett Shifman & Company, LLC
222 Forbes Road, Ste. 404
Braintree, MA 02184