TRACY, Calif.--(Business Wire)--September 16, 2005--"One of the lessons Hurricane Katrina has taught everyone is that paper records of any kind are not as permanent as one might think," said Leroy E. Petz, President of Petz Enterprises, Inc, whose on-line tax preparation brand TaxBrain.com is the third largest tax service in the U.S.

"While the IRS is making major progress in helping Katrina victims cope with their losses, including extending filing deadlines," he said, "taxpayers still have to eventually file their returns. By utilizing Internet-based services, the danger of losing vital information, even previous years' returns, is completely eliminated. For taxpayers depending on refunds, especially those affected by Katrina, electronic preparation and filing solves at least one headache."

The IRS recently reported that more people than ever are efiling from their home computers. Electronic filing continues to show a strong increase, with e-filed tax returns running almost 7 percent ahead of last year. The biggest increase is being seen in home computer use, which is up almost 15 percent. Americans e-filed 45.9 million returns through March 18 - up almost 3 million over last year's numbers.

Out of 67 million returns filed just before the standard April 15th deadline, 68 percent of them were e-filed - up from 63 percent the previous year. IRS reported for the first time in 2005 that more than half of all individual tax returns were filed electronically. Taxpayers who e-file and choose direct deposit get their refunds in half the time of those who file a paper return.

"As the Gulf Coast begins to recover from this deadly nightmare and electricity is again available, we'd like to suggest that one of the first tasks might be to contact TaxBrain.com for guidance and assistance in understanding what the IRS will be offering, as well as reconstituting their financial records to take advantage of IRS benefits and incentives," Mr. Petz urged.

IRS Disaster Relief Information & Toll-Free Number

In order to help taxpayers directly affected by Hurricane Katrina, TaxBrain.com offers the following information directly from the Internal Revenue Service:

People affected by Katrina who need help with tax matters can call (866) 562-5227, Monday through Friday from 7:00 am to 10:00 pm local time.

Callers to this special number can find out about tax relief, get free copies of their tax return transcripts and receive Disaster Tax Loss Kits. Callers may also be referred to the Federal Emergency Management Agency's assistance lines for additional help.

Affected taxpayers who need copies of tax returns to apply for aid or other purposes can have the normal user fee waived by writing "Hurricane Katrina" in red across the top margin of their Form 4506, Request for Copy of Tax Return.

More information about tax relief for victims, making charitable contributions and links to other government web pages is available at http://www.IRS.gov.

Link: Hurricane Katrina: Information on Charitable Giving, Tax-Relief Issues

About TaxBrain.com®

TaxBrain.com is the only web-based tax solution delivering online preparation, filing, professional assistance and representation in all 50 states. TaxBrain.com is a full-service online tax center providing tax advice, tools, and resources all year to help taxpayers manage their tax burden with greater confidence and ease. For more information visit www.taxbrain.com/press.

About Petz Enterprises, Inc.

Petz Enterprises, Inc. (a closely-held California corporation) is a software development company and a leading provider of tax preparation and filing solutions for the professional and consumer markets, helping to automate and simplify federal, state and local tax compliance. PEI's Crosslink® line of professional tax software products enable tax practitioners and service bureaus to accurately prepare and file large volumes of individual tax returns. Founded in 1974, Tracy, CA-based PEI is dedicated to serving the needs of the professional tax community and individual taxpayers worldwide. For more information, visit http://www.petzent.com.