D.C. TAXMAN, MEET MA BELL

The Internal Revenue Service just made filing tax returns as easy as a 10-minute phone call for up to 23 million Americans. The IRS is expanding from 10 to all 50 states its Telefile program, which allows people to file tax returns over the phone. Taxpayers with touchtone phones enter their Social Security number, answer several yes-or-no questions, then enter the employer identification number, their total total wages, federal tax withheld and taxable interest. The taxpayer is then told how much is owed, or how much to expect in a refund. People eligible for the program use the 1040-EZ form, are single with no dependents and have a taxable income of less than $50,000. Another IRS program, CyberFile, will allow taxpayers to transmit their returns directly to the IRS via modem.