Overview

Beginning with Tax Year 2026, E-Signatures will be offered through TaxAct Professional’s new Client Portals software. While the e-signature experience may look a little different, the new solution is designed to give professional tax preparers more flexibility, lower-cost signature options, and a more integrated client collaboration experience.

Signature Options

As part of this change, you will have access to two signature options: Basic E-Signature Events and KBA E-Signature Events. This allows you to choose the appropriate level of authentication based on the document, client situation, and your firm’s compliance requirements.

• Basic E-Signature Events provide a lower-cost option when knowledge-based authentication is not needed.
• KBA E-Signature Events remain available when a higher level of signer verification is required.

NOTE: E-Signatures will continue to work the same way in the Tax Year 2025 software through the Tax Year 2025 filing and extension season. These changes take effect starting with the Tax Year 2026 filing season.

Do I need to purchase Client Portals?

If you want to use E-Signatures within TaxAct Pro 2026, you will need to purchase a Client Portals subscription. Client Portals is an annual subscription. E-Signature Events are purchased separately from the Client Portals subscription.

TIP: While E-Signatures through Client Portals will not be available until Tax Year 2026, you can start using Client Portals now. See Professional Editions: Client Portals – Overview for more information. A free trial is also available.

For Tax Year 2025, you may continue using the legacy E-Signature workflow in TaxAct Pro 2025 until your purchased envelopes and KBAs expire on December 31, 2026. In 2027, plans include offering the new E-Signatures in the prior year, Tax Year 2025, software.

What are Basic and KBA E-Signature Events and how do they work?

Basic E-Signature Events are intended for situations where an electronic signature is needed but knowledge-based authentication is not required. This option gives your firm a cost-effective way to collect signatures securely through Client Portals.

KBA E-Signature Events are used for documents that require Knowledge-Based Authentication. With KBA, the signer must complete an identity verification step before signing. KBA is appropriate when your firm, the document type, or applicable compliance requirements require a higher level of signer authentication.

• Basic E-Signature Events can be used for PDFs that do not include Form 8878 or Form 8879.
• KBA E-Signature Events are required for PDFs that contain Form 8878 or Form 8879, according to IRS guidelines.

How much do E-Signature Events cost?

Each Basic E-Signature Event costs $1.25.

Each KBA E-Signature Event costs $2.50.

NOTE: Volume discounts will be available for firms that purchase higher quantities of E-Signature Events. Additional details will be provided in Fall 2026.

When is an E-Signature Event used and what is covered by each event?

Each E-Signature Event allows for the capture of all signatures in a single PDF. This can include multiple pages with signature fields, and taxpayer/spouse signatures that occur in that PDF.

• An event is used when your firm sends a signature request through Client Portals. The cost per event depends on whether the request uses a Basic event or a KBA event.
• Every additional PDF that needs to be signed will use an additional E-Signature Event.
• If a document is not included in the original PDF, but later needs to be signed, that second signature document will require another E-Signature Event.

What happens if I run out of events?

The event types are not interchangeable. If you exhaust one type, you must purchase additional events of that same type to continue using that option.