12/16/21: The new e-file is now available in the 2021 Practice Lab

We are super excited to announce our initial launch of the new e-file section on Wednesday, December 15th in Practice Lab 2021.  We will continue to tweak it between now and the beginning of e-file, but we wanted to allow you to get your hands on it.

Shutdown begins on Saturday, November 20, 2021, at 11:59 p.m. Eastern time, to prepare the system for the upcoming Tax Year 2021 Filing Season.

Important Note: Only “Send Submissions” for 1040 (both State and Federal) will be affected by this shutdown, all other services such as “Get Acks” and all state services will be available after the shutdown.

Reminder:  This impacts electronic filing for all years.  The IRS has not announced the start date for electronic filing.  Once it is announced, we will post information pertaining to start up for current year e-file, state only e-file and the two prior years e-file.

We are excited to begin introducing changes to the e-file section of the application.  These changes are designed to increase efficiency and to produce a more quality return.  As we begin seeing these changes internally, we will introduce them to you to make you aware of any changes that could impact the day to day operations of your site.

E-file Summary/Submission Page – Marking Returns to review/for complete

This section has been moved to the bottom of the submission page since it is typically the last action required prior to exiting or transmitting a return.

Marking a return to review will be displayed prior to the selection of marking a return complete.

• Advantage: More natural flow for sites using the built-in quality review process.
• Advantage: Helps prevent returns from being marked complete prematurely

Update:  8:37 am:  Practice Lab 2021 is now live.  Please keep in mind that we will be updating the PL with 2021 tax calculations as final forms and instructions are made available.  This will be a continual process over the next few weeks.

Update 8:12 am:  We are working to deploy the 2021 calculations.  During the meantime you will see the AGI information on the right panel spinning until the calcs are completely deployed

Update 7:45 am:  We are working on the deploying 2021 to the VITA/TCE environment.  You will experience a 404 File or Directory not found error when starting a 2021 return until we have completed the deploy

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We will be rolling out Practice Lab 2021 on Tuesday, November 9th. Once Practice Lab 2021 is pushed, you will have access to TaxSlayer 2021 and TaxSlayer 2020 with your Practice Lab logins. This will allow you to create new TY2021 returns and continue to create new TY2020 returns.  You will no longer have access to your TY2019 returns when you are logging in via the Practice Lab.

Reminder: Your Practice Lab login is not a valid login for the site you typically volunteer and prepare returns and vice versa, the login you typically use to prepare taxpayer returns is not valid for the Practice Lab.

What does this mean at my production site where I typically prepare returns?

Once we push TaxSlayer 2021,the welcome page will default to TaxSlayer 2021. You will still have access to create new returns and edit existing returns for TaxSlayer 2020, TaxSlayer 2019, TaxSlayer 2018, TaxSlayer 2017and TaxSlayer 2016 at your site.

Can I create returns in TaxSlayer 2021 at my production site where I typically preparer returns?

No, you will only be able to create new returns for TaxSlayer 2021 with your Practice Lab username. We are currently scheduled to turn on the ability to Start a New Return at your production site mid-January (date TBD).

Will all of the 2021 updated tax law changes be available?

No, as the IRS releases final instructions and forms, we will be updating the PL 2021. You will still see items specific to 2020 within the 2021 program. 2020 items will gradually be removed as future updates are pushed.

When will 2021 states be available?

2021 states will not be released with the initial roll out of Practice Lab 2021.  If you are training on states,  you will need to use PL 2020. We do not have a ETA for 2021 states at this time.

We are excited to begin introducing changes to the e-file section of the application. These changes are designed to increase efficiency and to produce a more quality return. As we begin seeing these changes internally, we will introduce them to you to make you aware of any changes that could impact the day to day operations of your site.

E-file Summary/Submission page:  Return Tags

We have moved return tags up on the page and will list then in a more aesthetically pleasing format.

• Will list the first 12 return tags
• View all return tags link to expand the selection
• Will continue to have the ability to select more than 1 return tag
• Reminder:  Sites  using return tags to track the quality reviewer should include a “not reviewed” or similar tag for selection if you are making return tags required
• All selections will appear in the return tag report (great way to track the Quality reviewer)

We are excited to begin introducing changes to the e-file section of the application.  These changes are designed to increase efficiency and to produce a more quality return.  As we begin seeing these changes internally, we will introduce them to you to make you aware of any changes that could impact the day to day operations of your site.

E-file Summary/Submission Page: Where is Printing Located

There will be two opportunities for printing the tax return from the Submission page:

1. The first opportunity will be located directly under the Tax Return Deposit/Balance information.  This is a little different that the current option, which is located as the first item on the submission screen.
2. The second opportunity will be located between the Return Tags section, but prior to the section where you mark the return for Review and/or Complete.

We are excited to begin introducing changes to the e-file section of the application.  These changes are designed to increase efficiency and to produce a more quality return.  As we begin seeing these changes internally, we will introduce them to you to make you aware of any changes that could impact the day to day operations of your site.

E-file Summary/Submission Page – Review banking information

The submission page will give the preparer and/or the quality reviewer the ability to more easily review and modify the banking information associated with a direct deposit or a direct debit.  The screenshot below illustrates the ability to review and modify the taxpayer banking information when their federal direct deposit is being split over three accounts using Form 8888.

The functionality of how the direct deposit information will not be changing (i.e. State direct deposits will be deposited to Bank Account 1 and state direct debits will be deducted from Bank Account 1)

We are excited to begin introducing changes to the e-file section of the application.  These changes are designed to increase efficiency and to produce a more quality return.  As we begin seeing these changes internally, we will introduce them to you to make you aware of any changes that could impact the day to day operations of your site.

E-file Summary/Submission Page – Overview of filing types

The first section allows the preparer and quality reviewer a quick look at how each return  is currently set to be electronically filed.

• Displays federal and state(s)
• Prominently displays refund/balance due
• Displays return type that allows the quality reviewer to more easily identify any states marked as “Paper”
• Quick access to edit the return type if a change needs to be made