Ms. Kathy Bartkowiak

Kathy Bartkowiak, district coordinator for the AARP Tax Aid program, which helps close to 1,000 elderly and low- to moderate-income earners each year in the Santa Barbara area, is a strong advocate of electronic filing.

"We're always trying to do more electronically," she says."There's less chance of error that way.A paper return then has to be punched in again by a clerk, and that's where mistakes can happen."

In addition, she says refunds arrive much faster, especially for those who have them credited directly into bank accounts.Ms. Bartkowiak says that if you owe money and file electronically now, you still have until April 15 to pay.