Now more than ever, it seems anything someone wants to do is being pushed to be completed electronically. Our society has gone from years ago with e-mail became more popular than traditional mail, to paying bills online, and now even taking college courses online. Now in the post COVID-era, many jobs have moved to be completely electronic and in people’s homes rather than an office setting. So it’s no surprise that companies may ask for documents to be filed online, commonly known as e-filing. But how safe is this process?
Overall, the process of e-filing is considered extremely safe. While there may be a fear of computer hackers, it’s also important to keep in mind that sending documents through the mail also runs the risk of being lost or potentially mishandled. There are variables in every scenario that could deem filing documents not safe. When it comes to e-filing, the risk remains extremely low in regards to worst-case scenarios coming true.
To put more minds at ease, when it comes to e-filing, there are usually multiple layers of protection to keep your information safe. This not only includes password-protected entries but several firewalls to specifically keep hackers or those trying to get information at bay.
What Documents Can Be E-Filed?
Tax documents are one of the most common types of documents that can be e-filed. However, e-filing is also extremely popular with court systems. In California, many counties require e-filing so it’s important to be familiar with the systems or contact a court support services business that can assist or even file the documents for you.
Pros and Cons of E-Filing
When it comes to e-filing, there are more pros than cons regarding the process.
Pros
- Saves Time - Forget taking a trip to the courthouse. By e-filing, you can submit your documents from the office, home, or coffee shop. Most of the documents are probably electronic anyway, so you don’t need to worry about printing them out and hand-delivering them to the courthouse or going to a post office to mail them in.
- Saves Money - It’s not just saving money for the lawyers who are filing the documents; the cost savings are also being felt at the courthouse. One cost-saving measure is through postage because neither party has to mail documents. The cost of paper also goes down because of everything being submitted electronically. For the court system, they’re saving money by not having to hold onto physical copies of the filed documents, also cutting down on their paper costs.
- Reduces Delays - You no longer have to wait for a clerk to find the necessary documents or file away the documents related to a case. By having information stored electronically, information can be found at anyone’s fingertips. When it comes to submitting information electronically, it’s also easy using a client portal to locate important information you’ve sent over to the courthouse.
- Makes Work More Efficient - Clients, attorneys, and court clerks can get work done faster and easier by utilizing an electronic system.
- Quicker Notifications - When submitting paperwork through the mail, it could take a phone call or a letter back to acknowledge that information has been received by the other party. With e-filing, that’s not usually the case. Most of the time, an e-filing sender can receive almost immediate notification, if not soon shortly after something is sent, and have peace of mind knowing that their documents were received. This is especially important if documents need to be in by a certain deadline — this allows the sender to submit documents almost up-to-the-last-minute if need be and in return, receive a notification that the documents were received before the deadline.
- Environmentally Friendly - We all want to do our part to better the Earth. By submitting documents electronically, less paper is needed and fewer trees are cut down to make that paper.
Cons
- Computer Malfunctions - This can be the biggest hurdle for some when it comes to e-filing. The saying goes, “Technology is great when it works,” and that can especially be true when it comes to submitting documents online. It can be hard to predict or prevent a computer malfunction so it’s critical for anyone who e-files to make sure they are using a computer that is up-to-date.
- Lack of Personalized Service - As the use of technology increases, interactions with actual people decrease. While for some this may be a positive result of e-filing, others may prefer to have face-to-face interactions and be disappointed that e-filing is typically a one-way communication.
When it comes to your e-filing needs, look no further than Commercial Process Serving, Inc.. For over 30 years, our team has been a leader in e-filing services. Contact our Ventura or Santa Barbara offices today at (855) 973-0833.