IRS Web Site Sets Records on April 17

WASHINGTON - Taxpayers used the Internal Revenue Service Web site at record levels as the filing deadline approached earlier this week. On April 17, there were 3,385,936 visits to IRS.gov. This number beats the prior single-day record of 3,337,300 visits on April 15, 2005.

IRS.gov also set a new Web traffic record on April 17, 2006. It recorded 3,237 hits per second at 12:30 p.m. EDT. This figure surpasses the previous peak usage day on April 15, 2005, when the site experienced 2,638 hits per second.

The IRS Web site is one of the most heavily used sites on the Internet during the tax filing season. This week’s record usage follows a redesign of the Web site last fall that enhanced search capabilities and provided easier access to tools that help taxpayers and tax professionals. The American Customer Satisfaction Index level for the Web site has also increased this year.

“The record usage underscores that IRS.gov is an easy way to get tax information,” said IRS Commissioner Mark W. Everson. “We’ve made improvements to the Web site to provide better service for a growing number of taxpayers who use the Internet.”

The IRS reminds taxpayers that some of the Web site's most popular features remain available for people expecting a refund or who have filed an extension.

Taxpayers expecting a refund can easily check on its status by clicking “Where’s My Refund?" on IRS.gov. The feature had been used more than 24 million times from January 1 through mid-April. Taxpayers can securely access their personal refund information by entering their Social Security number, filing status and the exact amount of their refund. These shared secrets, which are data known only to the taxpayer and IRS, verify the person is authorized to access the account.

The Free File program remains available to everyone meeting the Free File criteria until Oct. 16.

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