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Preparing Returns

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Updating Your Credit Card Information

To update your payment information, follow these steps: Sign in to your TaxAct Account online. Click Orders & Downloads. Select the blue link update credit card information (you may need to scroll down). Click the Order ID and follow the on-screen instructions to update your payment details. This option may not be available for all […]

Form 2848 – Power of Attorney and Representative Declaration

Form 2848, Power of Attorney and Declaration of Representative, is used to authorize an individual to represent the taxpayer/corporation/partnership before the IRS. The authorized individual must be eligible to practice before the IRS. This power of attorney authorizes the representative to perform duties such as signing consents, extending the time to assess tax, recording the […]

Request a Copy of a State Return or Transcript

Below you will find links to the websites and/or forms for each state to request a copy of your state return or transcript. Alabama | Alaska | Arizona | Arkansas | California | Colorado | Connecticut | Delaware | District of Columbia | Florida | Georgia | Hawaii | Idaho | Illinois | Indiana | […]

Oregon – Preparer License Number (State ID Number)

Anyone who prepares and files Oregon Personal Income Tax Returns for compensation must be licensed with the Oregon Board of Tax Practitioners; unless they are a Certified Public Accountant (CPA), a Public Accountant licensed by the Oregon Board of Accountancy, or a member of the Oregon State Bar.   Additional information is provided on the Oregon Board of Tax Practitioners website. Enter your state […]

Notes and Explanations for E-Filing Forms 1120, 1120-S or 1065

Preparer Notes can be used by the paid preparer, electronic return originator, or taxpayer to provide additional, voluntary information related to Forms 1120, 1120-S or 1065 tax returns, but it is not required to attach them. These notes are added to the return in the same area where the Election Explanations and Regulatory Explanations are […]

1120 Net Operating Loss (NOL) and Form 1139

Prior year Net Operating Loss (NOL) amounts are entered on the Net Operating Loss Worksheet. To access the worksheet Net Operating Loss Worksheet: 1. From within your TaxAct return (Online or Desktop), click Federal (on smaller devices, click in the top left corner of your screen, then click Federal). 2. Click Business Deductions dropdown, then […]

1120-S Schedule K-2 and K-3 – Domestic Filing Exception

Per the IRS instructions, a 2023 S corporation does not need to complete and file with the IRS Schedules K-2 and K-3 or furnish to the shareholder(s) their Schedule K-3 if each of the following 3 criteria are met: No or limited foreign activity Foreign activity is defined as Foreign income taxes paid or accrued, […]

Professional Editions – Enter Default Credit Card Information

To enter default credit card or bank product information: From within your TaxAct Professional Edition program, click Preparer in the upper menu bar, hover your mouse over Master Information, then click Preparers. Click the Pencil Icon next to the preparer name, then click Electronic Filing Info. Click Enter Credit Card, and enter your information. Click Continue, and click Save and […]

California – Mandatory E-File

California law requires business entities that prepare an original or amended return using tax preparation software to e-file returns. Failure to e-file will be penalized if the failure to e-file is due to willful neglect and not reasonable cause. The penalty is $100 for the initial e-file failure and $500 for each subsequent failure. Business […]

Form 1041 – 8453FE ERO and Paid Preparer

Per IRS Form 8453-FE U.S. Estate or Trust Declaration for an IRS e-file Return page 2: The ERO is one who deals directly with the fiduciary and either prepares tax returns or collects prepared tax returns, including Forms 8453-FE, for fiduciaries who wish to have the return of the estate or trust electronically filed. The […]

Professional Editions – Self-Employed Indicated in Master Information

If you are self-employed, you need to indicate that in the returns you file professionally.  You can’t go to the Paid Preparer’s Use Only section of the forms to indicate your self-employment in the TaxAct program.  You need to indicate your self-employment in Master Information, and then it will show up on the forms automatically. To […]

Preparer – Withholding Summary Report

The Withholding Summary report lists all sources for Federal, State, and Local Withholding by form (W-2, 1099-MISC etc.). At the bottom of the report, there is an All Other Withholdings field that applies to only federal withholding. Sources for withholding that are reported in the All Other Withholding field are: Form 8959 Line 24, Total Additional […]

Professional Editions – Preparer PDF Import

Switching to TaxAct Professional Editions is EASY! With our Data Conversion feature, you can directly convert prior year individual (1040) returns prepared by the following: Intuit ProSeries (Professional & Basic) TaxSlayer Pro TaxWise You can also create PDFs of prior year individual (1040) returns by importing data from returns prepared by the following: ATX CrossLink […]

Preparer Regulations – New York Paid Preparer Information

All New York returns filed by a paid preparer must include the following paid preparer information on all paper and e-filed returns, if applicable: Preparer’s name Firm’s name (or preparer’s name if self-employed) Address Preparer’s NYTPRIN or NYPTRIN exclusion code (as applicable) Preparer’s PTIN (or SSN if preparer does not have a PTIN) Firm’s EIN […]

Preparer – Form 8606 Client’s Address and Prep Information Do Not Populate

The taxpayer’s address at the top of Form 8606 Nondeductible IRAs, as well as the preparer information at the bottom of the form, are only used if the form is filed separately from the taxpayer’s return. As a result, this information does not automatically populate in TaxAct®. If Form 8606 is filed separately, it cannot […]

Professional Editions – Data Backup Expiration

The online backup service included with the TaxAct® Professional Enterprise Edition for the 2016 tax year had expired on May 1, 2020. You can no longer access your 2016 client data online. Please contact your Professional Edition representative for more information.

New York – Mandatory E-File – Professional Editions

Per the New York Tax return preparer e-file mandate web page (Important notes about the mandate, note 4): If you can’t electronically file the return because it’s not supported by your approved e-file software or it can’t be filed on our website, then you aren’t required to e-file it. Additional information for preparers is available […]

Professional Editions – Adding or Deleting State Returns

To add or remove a state return from a client return: From within your TaxAct Professional Edition program, on the Client Manager screen, double-click the client you want to edit. Click Return in the upper menu bar, hover your mouse over State, then click Add/Remove State… To add a state, click the checkbox next to […]

Professional Editions – Add or Edit Master Information

To access the Preparer Master Information window: From within your TaxAct® Professional Edition program, click Preparer in the upper menu bar, hover your mouse over Master Information, then click Practice. Available options in the Preparer Master Information window include: Practice Practice Name Practice ID EIN Check if self-employed Address Foreign address Contact information Preparers Add, […]

Removing Preparer Information from Client Return

To remove the Paid Preparer information from your Form 1040 U.S. Individual Income Tax Return: From within your TaxAct Professional Edition, click Forms in the options bar to view the Forms Explorer (if it is not already visible). Click Federal from the dropdown in forms explorer, and click the Information Worksheets dropdown, then click Basic Information to see the […]

Professional Editions – Importing Prior Year TaxAct Returns

In your TaxAct Professional Edition program, you can import a prior year return when you create a new return or after you create a return. If you have already created a return, you can use either import method. If you are importing when creating a new return, you need to start on the Client Manager […]

Auto-Completion Based on Income Entries – Professional Editions

To auto-complete Form W-2 Wage and Tax Statement boxes based on income related entries: From within your TaxAct Professional Edition program, click Preparer in the upper menu bar.  Now hover your mouse over Master Information, and click General. Scroll down to the Calculation Options section, and you can click the Checkbox next to the options relating to […]

Auto-Attach States to all Returns

To add state(s) to each new or imported client return in your TaxAct Professional program: From within your TaxAct Professional Edition program, click Preparer in the upper menu bar, then click Preferences. Click Miscellaneous, scroll down to the Miscellaneous section, then click the Checkbox next to Automatically attach selected states with new or imported returns. Click Select States, then […]

Professional Editions – Paid Preparer’s Due Diligence Checklist

Per the IRS Due Diligence Law webpage: Requirements for paid preparers when claiming certain credits or head of household filing status Under the Internal Revenue Code, a penalty can be assessed against a paid tax return preparer for not meeting due diligence requirements when preparing a return or claim for refund claiming the: Earned income […]

Resubmitting E-File with New Credit Card Number

You will need to complete the filing steps again, and enter different credit card information: From within your TaxAct return (Online or Desktop), click Filing (on smaller devices, click in the top left corner of your screen, then click Filing). On the screen titled Paper/E-Filing – Federal Balance Due Options, click the circle next to […]

E-File a State Return Only – Professional Editions

The TaxAct Professional programs are designed to allow Federal return information to flow to the state return(s). Although you can e-file a state return without e-filing the federal return, you must first complete Federal Q&A. The State Q&A interview section will prompt you for additional information specific to the state return. In order to then […]