EFTPS - Financial Management Service - Department of the Treasury

familiarity of EFTPS among all groups of the targetaudience. Only 30 percent of tax professionals, 10percent of small businesses and 5 percent of individualssurveyed mentioned EFTPS by name. When askedabout options for paying electronically, many othersmentioned more general electronic means of payment,such as credit cards, electronic filing of tax forms andthe Internet. Nearly half (46 percent) of the individualssurveyed reported no knowledge of any electronic means fortax payment.Tax professionals are the most familiar withEFTPS; however, familiarity is lacking amongsmall businesses and individuals. More thanhalf (51 percent) of tax professionals report that theyare somewhat familiar with EFTPS, and a smallerpercentage (29 percent) are very familiar. Amongsmall businesses, 43 percent are familiar with EFTPS.Among individuals, few (12 percent) have any familiarity,and nearly half (44 percent) have never heardof EFTPS.Overall, reactions to EFTPS are generallypositive for tax professionals and small businesses.Nearly half of tax professionals and smallbusinesses are highly favorable toward EFTPS;however, individuals are significantly more cautiousabout EFTPS. Familiarity with EFTPS is tiedto favorability. Among all audiences, those alreadyvery familiar with EFTPS are significantly more likelyto be highly favorable than those who are unfamiliar.The Role of Tax ProfessionalsTax professionals have a great deal of influencein the tax payment process. Tax professionals areprotective and concerned about their client relationshipsand are more likely to recommend electronicmethods of payment if their clients convey interest.Nearly all tax professionals make recommendationsto their clients and believe their clients accept them.Most clients agree with this assessment: More thanthree-quarters of small businesses and individuals saythey are very likely to accept their tax professionals’recommendations.The vast majority (92 percent of small businessesand 85 percent of individuals) use taxprofessionals. Among those who use tax professionals,the majority report that the decision on how taxpayments are made is a joint effort between themselvesand their tax professionals. Nearly one-third of taxprofessionals have made tax payments on behalf oftheir clients using EFTPS. 6