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If you want to make your money go farther and lighten your tax load, there are several things you can do online before 2003 arrives.

Tax Time

Check out the leading tax preparation software from companies like Intuit and H&R Block. Each company offers a range of programs on their Web sites that are already updated for 2002. The online assessments cover the gamut of tax situations, from simple to complicated, and cost between $30 and $80.

Also, check out PCWorld.com's list of free tax software downloads.

A percentage of home mortgage payments is usually tax deductible, based on your income tax bracket. If you can afford it, make your January mortgage payment in December. It's a snap to do this if you have online banking services or make your mortgage payments using an Internet bill-paying service like CheckFree, Yahoo Bill Pay, or MSN Bill Pay.

Even if you drop a check in the mail, you'll get the tax benefit. Just be sure the payment is postmarked by year's end. Also, keep in mind that you'll have lower mortgage deductions in 2003 as a result of this move.

The Internal Revenue Service will accept tax forms via electronic filing, but you must use an approved provider to handle the transaction. Some charge a fee. Others include the cost as part of the tax preparation software package. Check out the IRS list of e-filing providers.

The IRS is also working with a consortium of industry companies on developing standards for online tax filing, free of charge--but it could take a while.

Take a Tax Break

You still have time to set up an Individual Retirement Account, if you qualify. Most banks and stock brokerages will gladly take your money up until the stroke of midnight on December 31. Hint: Get a jump on contributing to your 2003 retirement savings by starting the investment process in January. Start making contributions sooner and you'll have more money working for you faster and longer.

Donations to nonprofits provide a two-part benefit: a break on income taxes with a feel-good kicker. Independent Sector, a charity watchdog group, offers Ten Tips for Giving Wisely.

Not sure which cause to support? Approximately 850,000 public charities have nonprofit status in the United States alone, so picking and choosing favorites can be a daunting task. A couple of charity-centric Web sites are great resources for screening groups before making donation decisions. JustGive.org and Network for Good have background information on thousands of nonprofits, including what percentage of donor dollars actually gets used for charitable purposes.

Online Donations

In addition to charity databases, both organizations serve as clearinghouses for charitable donations to individual organizations. They go a few steps farther than that, too. Network for Good and JustGive.org both offer a Gift Basket option that funnels donations to preselected groups serving allied causes like peace, animals, women's issues, hunger, homelessness, and the elderly.

It's hard to break the longtime tradition of writing a check for charity or dropping a few dollars into a Salvation Army bell-ringer's kettle, but many nonprofit groups actually prefer an online connection. Only about 2 to 3 percent of charitable donations arrive via the Internet, even though giving online is cheaper than writing a check in terms of processing costs, it takes less time, and it is less harmful to the environment in terms of paper usage.

"It definitely is less expensive," says John Lagasse, e-marketing coordinator for the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals in New York.

"We definitely see an increase [in online giving], when there is an immediacy, especially after September 11. In general, we see a steady increase, but nothing tremendous even though more of their [donors'] money works quicker and it works more efficiently online."

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