Because e-filing is likely critical to your firm's workflow, Lacerte provides superior e-filing systems resulting in high reliability and little to no downtime. Lacerte is so confident in the systems, in fact, that we guarantee a successful e-file experience for customers (see details below).

And now Lacerte^® software makes e-filing easier and more affordable by putting e-file capabilities in all Lacerte Individual, Partnership and Benefit Plan program releases.

IRS acknowledgment of filing

Preparers generally receive IRS e-file acknowledgements in less than 48 hours.

File now, pay later

Taxpayers can e-file and not pay balance due amounts until the return due date.

Savings

Cut paper, printing, postage, and handling costs.

Faster refunds

Taxpayers who e-file generally receive their refund in less than half the time of paper.

Compliance

Many states have begun to mandate that certain tax returns be filed electronically, and additional states are expected to introduce mandates in the future.

Easy access to online IRS services

Preparers who file 100 or more returns electronically have access to the IRS online E-Services including, Taxpayer Identification Number Matching, Disclosure Authorization, Electronic Account Resolution, Transcript Delivery System and many other features.

To ensure a quality experience with our professional tax e-file system, Intuit has made significant investments in hardware and expanded system improvements. This improved e-file system is designed to provide continued operation and little or no customer impact in the event of possible hardware or software failure.

Major enhancements include:

• Prevention---Rigorous and ongoing testing of the system to anticipate and prevent failures. In addition, a duration system has been implemented allowing ProSeries to replicate current and future demands on systems resources helping us to predict and avoid potential failures.
• Mitigation---Reinforced layout of the system helps ensure redundancy and continuity of filing. And for tax year 2008, customer experience monitoring will be in place to quickly identify, assess, and improve the experience as it's being utilized.
• Contingency---Robust back-up systems that can take over in case of main system failure.
• Dedicated submission for Professionals---Specific Web URLs have been dedicated to our professional users to ensure uninterrupted access to the Intuit e-filing system during high volume filing periods.
• Improved Communication---Important updates regarding the Intuit E-file system availability status, including maintenance windows and any variation in customer experience, are accessible to users when connecting to the E-file server and are saved within the product for future reference. In addition, overall performance and status of the e-file system is available continuously at E-file Atlas found on the Support page of the Lacerte Web site where customers can view the current status of our e-file system.

Effective April 23, 2007, Intuit will offer Lacerte customers a guarantee of on-time submission of tax returns and if late, reimburse for paid e-file fees and any assessed late filing penalties.

If any Lacerte customer is unable to submit to Intuit any federal or state tax return before the applicable filing deadline or Intuit fails to file Lacerte customer-submitted returns with the appropriate tax agency before the applicable filing deadline and the lack of submission or filing is due to a failure of Intuit's electronic filing system, Intuit will refund any applicable electronic filing fees, and reimburse the taxpayer for any resulting penalties and interest levied and paid to the tax agency, upon submission of documentation reasonably acceptable to Intuit. Intuit is not responsible for any failure by Lacerte customers to submit, or Intuit's failure to file, any federal or state tax return due to reasons beyond its commercially reasonable control, including but not limited to internet outages or any deficiencies in the actual federal or state returns that prevent filing.