Released on: June 24, 2008, 3:12 am

Press Release Author: Taxspanner

Industry: Accounting

Press Release Summary: NEW DELHI: Can the computer replace your chartered
accountant? Yes, says a
software firm, which is aiming its only product at the small-time taxpayer
who can\'t afford the hassles of finding a person to help file tax returns.


Press Release Body: NEW DELHI: Can the computer replace your chartered accountant?
Yes, says a
software firm, which is aiming its only product at the small-time taxpayer
who can\'t afford the hassles of finding a person to help file tax returns.

TaxSpanner - an online income tax preparation and filing tool for India at
taxspanner.com - offers to help you \"e-file\" your income tax return in three
easy steps.

Delhi-based SpanAcross IT Solutions Private Ltd. director Manoj Yadav said
the product was gearing up to work with some big players and was expecting
to extend its reach.

Someone visiting the site has to provide information, entering income
details and claimable deductions. Income tax returns can be then prepared
and filed. Filing of tax retruns can be done either through the e-filing
route (online) or at an income tax office.

Located in Delhi\'s Mall Road, the company says it wants to scale up from
some thousands using its product, to a much
bigger number. In India, tax returns are usually filed mid year.

\"It makes sense. It\'s a hard job to find a chartered account, reach him or
her, get the paperwork done. All this is time-consuming and painful,
especially for individuals who don\'t have existing contacts,\" Yadav told
IANS.

\"There is also a problem of trust and confidence. We are strong on the
privacy of our clients,\" said he. \"Our tool is menu-driven and very easy to
operate. We also offer mail-based support to our customers, replied to
within 24 hours.\" Yadav said the company\'s founders were chartered
accountants, and others well versed in the field of accounting and tax.
Taxspanner.com is based on Free/Libre and Open Source Software tools. It
runs on the general purpose, very high-level programming language Python and
the web application framework Django.

\"We have not spent a penny (on buying proprietary software besides
developing it),\" he said.
Yadav said this was a \"new concept\", though it had three or four more
players competing in the same space, including one company recently acquired
by ICICI Infotech. \"We\'re in talks with some banks and companies that could
extend the reach (of our online tool),\" Yadav told IANS. \"The government is
moving towards the e-filing of income tax returns. We are providing e-filing
support too.\"

Currently, TaxSpanner allows you to work out your \'advanced\' returns for
Rs.449, \'quick\' returns for Rs.249, and you can also \"try it for free, and
pay only when you file\" at taxspanner.com.

TaxSpanner, launched in July 2007, provides customers with an interface for
preparing personal income tax returns, and reduces their \"pain of preparing
taxes manually\". SpanAcross, the firm, says it aims at being India\'s leading
solution provider for online income tax preparation and filing, under the
brand name TaxSpanner (www.taxspanner.com).
India, a country of 1,100-plus million, is said to have some 31.5 million
tax payers.

This number grew by nearly 11 percent between March 2002 and March 2006,
official figures reveal. With the government tightening income tax leakages
and ensuring more citizens file their returns, the demand for help in filing
returns is growing too.

The Directorate of Income Tax (Systems) at New Delhi has also said there was
a total of 54 million PAN or Permanent Account Numbers allotted to taxpayers
by July 5, 2007. The Income Tax Department\'s website
incometaxindiaefiling.gov.in has also been allowing for the electronic
filing of returns.


Web Site: http://www.taxspanner.com

Contact Details: G -12,Mall Apts., Mall Road New Delhi,110054