According to IRS statistics, about 55 million Americans, or 45 percent of all taxpayers, will now be eligible to participate in Quicken Tax Freedom for 1999.

"Last year, more than 86,000 tax returns were prepared and filed at no charge through Quicken Tax Freedom, a significant step in the right direction as we try to narrow the 'digital divide' and ensure individuals at all income levels have access to the benefits of the Web and Intuit's tax preparation and filing services," said Bill Harris, president and CEO of Intuit. "We are looking to build on last year's success, expanding the program and extending the benefits of Web-based tax preparation to an even greater number of taxpayers."

Intuit will offer Web-based tax preparation and electronic filing services at no cost to eligible taxpayers through its TurboTax® for the Web, a Web-based personal tax preparation service that enables people to prepare their taxes quickly, easily and securely on the Internet, without installing or downloading software. TurboTax is easy-to-use and requires no special tax knowledge or expertise and, because it's a Web-based service, consumers can use it securely from any location offering Internet access. In addition, the IRS can process electronically-filed tax returns much faster, speeding refunds for those who will receive them. On average, taxpayers who file their taxes electronically receive their refunds in about two weeks, versus the six to seven weeks for those who file by mail.