WASHINGTON - Beginning today, partnership taxpayers can electronically file tax year 2006 Form 1065, U.S. Return of Partnership Income, and Form 1065-B, U.S. Return of Income for Electing Large Partnerships, using the Modernized e-File platform.

�Electronic filing is a key component to modernizing our tax system,� IRS Commissioner Mark W. Everson said. �E-File improves the speed and accuracy of tax return filing, and we encourage partnership taxpayers to take advantage of this enhanced system.�

Since tax year 1986, the IRS has offered electronic filing of Form 1065. The existing 1065 e-File platform uses a proprietary data transmission format. However, the Modernized e-File platform uses the Extensible Markup Language (XML) format, which is an industry-standard method of identifying, storing and transmitting data. Both e-File platforms offer improved speed and accuracy of tax return filing. But Modernized e-File offers additional benefits, including transactional processing instead of batch processing, allowance for binary file attachments, elimination of the duplicate filing of International returns and a federal/state partnership program.

The IRS anticipates more than 400,000 partnerships will e-File in 2007. Most of those partnerships are not mandated to e-File but are encouraged to do so for the e-Filing benefits.

For tax year 2006, partnerships have the option to e-File Form 1065 through the Modernized e-File system or the existing 1065 e-File system. However, e-File for Form 1065-B is available solely through Modernized e-File. Partnership taxpayers should talk with their software provider or transmitter to determine which e-File platform to use. Beginning in January 2008, Modernized e-File will be the only e-File platform available to e-File partnership returns. At that time, the IRS will also require e-File for all 1065-B returns.

Partnership taxpayers can access detailed information about the Form 1065 e-File process by clicking on the "Modernized e-File for Partnerships" link below.