TurboTax traffic up 99%, IRS Web site traffic up 24%

With the distribution of W-2 forms underway, traffic to tax-related sites increased as filers research forms, products and tax preparation tips. TurboTax, the week's fastest growing site at home, spiked 99%, while traffic to the US Internal Revenue Service Website (IRS) grew 24%. Last year, TurboTax and the IRS sites saw traffic increase 44% and 35% respectively, during this time indicating late January as the start of consumers' research into preparation for the April 15 deadline.

The TurboTax site drew 724,000 unique visitors with the online products Web page capturing 28% of the site's traffic. Fourteen% of TurboTax's Web surfers viewed the desktop products Web page. The IRS site's 1.2 mln unique visitors divided their time between five topical Web pages. Two popular pages included forms and tax information for individuals with 26% of the site's traffic, while 17% tapped the 1040 Central page. Nearly 16% researched the eFile process, and 12% reviewed filing changes for the 2004 tax year.