EFTPS 1040-ES Sole Proprietors Survey

1040-ES SOLE PROPRIETORS INCIDENCE SURVEY

300 Sole Proprietors

November 2007

INTRODUCTION

Hello. My name is __________ with KRC Research, an independent market research company. I am calling on behalf of the Financial Management Service, a bureau of the U.S. Department of the Treasury. May I speak with ________?

We are conducting an opinion survey of how sole proprietors pay their federal income taxes. We would like to include your opinions for a very important research project that will help us better understand your needs. The survey will take less than five minutes to complete.

This is NOT a sales call. This call is for research purposes only. All of your individual responses will remain completely private and will not be shared with anyone else or linked to you. This survey should take about 5 minutes of your time.

If you have any comments regarding this interview, please reference OMB Control Number 1510-0074 and send your comments to Melanie Rigney, Financial Management Service, 401 14^th St. SW, Room 521B, Washington, DC 20227.

IF NEEDED:

IF RESPONDENT EXPRESSES CONCERN AT ANY POINT DURING THE INTERVIEW, REASSURE THEM THAT YOU DO NOT WORK FOR THE GOVERNMENT. YOU ARE WORKING FOR AN INDEPENDENT RESEARCH COMPANY. THEIR ANSWERS WILL BE KEPT COMPLETELY CONFIDENTIAL AND THEIR INDIVIDUAL RESPONSES WILL NOT BE SHARED WITH ANYONE OR LINKED TO THEM.

IF RESPONDENT WANTS A PHONE NUMBER TO CALL TO VERIFY THIS IS A LEGITIMATE SURVEY: MELANIE RIGNEY AT 202-874-6763.

SURVEY

1 Which of the following best describes your business or company? (READ LIST)

Sole proprietorship 1

TERMINATE Partnership 2

TERMINATE Limited Liability Corporation (LLC) 3

TERMINATE “S” Corporation 4

TERMINATE “C” Corporation 5

TERMINATE Publicly held corporation 6

TERMINATE Franchise 7

TERMINATE Other (specify) ____________(VOL) 8

TERMINATE Don’t know/refused (VOL) 9

2 Is your sole proprietorship your main source of income, or do you also have another job where you earn wages or a salary?

Sole source of income 1

Have another job 2

Don’t know/refused (VOL) 9

3 Which of the following best describes your involvement in the decision on how your self-employment or sole proprietorship income taxes are paid? (READ LIST)

CONTINUE I am the primary decision maker 1

CONTINUE I have a great deal of influence on the decision 2

TERMINATE I have some influence on the decision 3

TERMINATE I am not involved in the decision 4

TERMINATE Don’t know/refused (VOL) 9

4 Do you pay your self-employment or sole proprietorship’s federal income taxes using a 1040-ES form, also known as a quarterly estimated tax form?

Yes 1

No 2

Don’t know/refused (VOL) 9

5 And do you mail in your 1040-ES along with your estimated tax payment, or do you pay your taxes using the Electronic Federal Tax Payment System, or EFTPS?

Mail a 1040-ES 1

Electronic Federal Tax Payment System or EFTPS 2

Don’t know/refused (VOL) 9

6 Which of the following best describes technology capabilities? (READ LIST)

You have both computer and Internet access 1

You have computers but not Internet access 2

You have neither computers nor Internet access 3

Don’t know/refused (VOL) 9

7 (IF HAVE COMPUTER AND INTERNET ACCESS: Q6=1) How often do you use the internet for business purposes, such as paying your company’s bills, banking, filing tax returns or making tax payments? (READ LIST)

Often 1

Sometimes 2

Rarely 3

Never 4

Don’t know/refused (VOL) 9

8 What kind of business is your sole proprietorship?

(Specify): __________

Don’t know/refused (VOL) 99

9 Was your sole proprietorship’s income in 2006 above or below $35,000? (DO NOT READ LIST.)

Below $35,000 1

Above $35,000 2

Don’t know/refused (VOL) 9

10 Generally, do you make a single 1040-ES payment annually or do you make more than one payment per tax year?

One payment 1

More than one payment 2

Don’t know/refused (VOL) 9

11 GENDER: RECORD

Male 1

Female 2

12 REGION: RECORD MARKET FROM SAMPLE. SEE QUOTA.

Northeast 1

Midwest 2

South 3

West 4

Thank you for your time. Just in case my supervisor needs to verify that I conducted this interview, would you please tell me your first name?

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Thank you again. Goodbye.

RECORD FROM SAMPLE:

Phone: (__ __ __) __ __ __ - __ __ __ __

CBSA code __ __ __ __ __

State: __ __

Region: __ __

DATE OF INTERVIEW __ __ / __ __ / 07

KRC Research 3

Research Among 1040-ES Payers

November 2007