Website Crashes

• For a taxpayer who waits until the last day to file his tax return, a website crash is one of the most difficult online tax return problems. According to "The Telegraph," a website crash in the United Kingdom forced many to file late returns in 2008. Websites that crash cannot be repaired by online tax return users, so filers must wait until computer technicians fix the problem. Often, a website crash also compromises or deletes data previously entered into the system.
  
  

Data Loss

• A common problem with online tax returns is the loss of data. Whether it is the fault of the user for neglecting to save entered data or a problem with a data entry system, data loss is a critical online tax return issue. In many cases, the loss of data requires a taxpayer to re-enter all previous fields and start the submission process again. This problem forces a taxpayer to expend more time submitting her online tax return.
  
  

Software Corruption

• Software corruption causes difficulties for online tax return filers. According to Turbo Tax, a flaw in its software caused Adobe Acrobat to malfunction, preventing users from saving, printing and submitting their onlline tax returns. Internal software corruption often goes unnoticed by users, so the problem is not apparent until all information has been entered and the system fails. This is frustrating for a taxpayer who has spent hours preparing an online tax return only to have it fail to submit or print.
  
  

Faulty Submissions

• Online software makes it difficult for a taxpayer to correct or add information on a tax return once it has been submitted. Simple mistakes such as decimal-point errors or extrapolated numbers are not easily fixed once a return is officially filed. These faulty submissions, primarily a result of carelessness or oversight, require lengthy amended return filings.