A deployment is scheduled for the morning of Tuesday, November 5th to release the below update(s). Access to the program may be limited during a deployment.

PRACTICE LAB

• Practice Lab will rollover to 2024 (Update)

We’re excited to announce an enhancement released into the 2023 and forward TaxSlayer Pro Online application for Federal returns. Details below…

Problem To Solve: [Example Scenario] Preparer completes return as Direct Debit with $400 owed. Quality Reviewer makes an update resulting in a change in amount owed of only $200. Quality Reviewer skips the Bank Account page in e-file without updating the direct debit payment amount. Return is filed and $400 is paid to the IRS instead of $200.

• Existing Functionality: In the above scenario, whether the amount owed increases or decreases, IF the user visits the Bank Account page in e-file, a validation error appears indicating the direct debit payment and amount owed does not match. User does not see this validation when skipping the Bank Account page often resulting in a higher amount being paid to the IRS than what is actually owed.
• ENHANCED Functionality: In the same above scenario, whether the amount owed increases or decreases, when a user clicks “Save & Exit” or “Transmit Return” on the Submission page, the below dialog box will appear if the direct debit amount has not been updated. Clicking “YES” will redirect the user to the Bank Account page to make an update. Clicking “NO” will continue the desired action (Save & Exit or Transmit Return).

Practice Lab 2024 is tentatively scheduled to be released/available the week of November 11th.

DISCLAIMERS:

Please keep in mind that the Practice Lab will be updated twice a week, after release, as we receive finalized forms and instructions from the IRS. With that, we will ask volunteers to not report calculation issues to support.

With the Practice Lab 2024 release, you will have access to PL 2024 and PL 2023.

After Practice Lab 2024 release, when logging into your Production Sites, you will see the following: TaxSlayer 2024, 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020 and 2019. You will not have the ability to create new returns in 2024, but you can still prepare returns in all of the available prior years. You will be able to electronically file 2023, 2022 and 2021 until the IRS shuts down their MeF system (this has not been announced by the IRS yet).

States will not be available in Practice Lab 2024 until closer to the filing season in either late December or early January. You can use PL 2023 to have your volunteers train or practice with state returns.

Update 10/07:  VITA/TCE support is back to regular support hours via telephone, chat and email.  We want to take a moment to thank all of you for your patience and support through these unusual circumstances.  August and the surrounding CSRA areas still have a long road to recovery.  The majority of all employees finally  have power restored, but it is now time to really assess the physical property damages and determine the best course of action to rebuild.  #Augustastrong

Update 10/02:  VITA/TCE support will have limited support via email only for the remainder of the week as many of our employees still remain without power.

Update 9/29:  VITA/TCE support will continue to remain closed on Monday and Tuesday due to the devastating impact of Hurricane Helene.  The majority of the Augusta area is without power and water.  We will re-evaluate the situation on Tuesday and update the blog accordingly.  Please be patient while we allow our TaxSlayer team focus on the safety and well-being of their families.

Note:  This does not impact the ability to use TaxSlayer Pro Online, as our data centers are not housed in the Augusta/CSRA area.

Update:  The path of Hurricane Helene took a path closer to our area than we anticipated.  Due to power outages and the dangerous weather conditions, we are closing VITA/TCE support for today:  Friday, September 27th.  We will resume normal VITA/TCE hours on Monday, September 30th.

Due to expected Severe Weather in the Southeast over the next couple of days, TaxSlayer support availability may be impacted. At this time, normal off-season support hours are expected but this could change. This blog post will be updated with the latest updates as they are available.

9/25/24 – Outstanding acks are now being returned.

We are aware of some 2021-2023 returns stuck in “sending” or “transmitted” status since Monday, 9/22/24. Our developers are aware and looking into this issue. This post will be updated when the issue has been resolved and acks are being returned.

A deployment is scheduled for the morning of Thursday, September 12th to release the below update(s). Access to the program may be limited during a deployment.

F8863

• Expand EIN Database to 8863 institution entries (Enhancement)

Software vendors received the below messaging from the Ohio Department of Taxation.

“Ohio is experiencing a delay of processing MeF transmissions and sending acknowledgements for all electronically filed Ohio taxes (Individual Income Tax, Muni, PTE/Fiduciary) as of today.  We will communicate when this has been corrected.“

A deployment is scheduled for the morning of Tuesday, September 10th to release the below update(s). Access to the program may be limited during a deployment

CLIENT LIST

• Dynamic client list not showing all returns in office when greater than 1,000 (Issue 2548)

PREPARER SETUP

• Preparer(s) Menu is missing the “Archive” column when status is “Inactive” (Issue 2541)