1/3/2020 – This was resolved in this mornings deployment.

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We are getting sporadic reports of the following error when trying to open a 2018 return or navigating through it.  We have opened a ticket with our development team.   Click the Log Back In button and open the return again.  You can then continue to work in the return.  This is  not impacting Practice Lab 2019

1/3/2020 – The alignment and update to 2019 forms issue has been resolved. If you continue to see the below screen, clear your cache and refresh your screen.

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We are in the process of updating the 1040 view to accommodate the changes to the 1040 pages and schedules.  This morning’s delivery left the feature with a combination of a 2018 form background and a 2019 entry layout.  We have a high priority ticket in to get this resolved.  Page 4 of the 1040 view displays correctly.

4:46 PM est:  The issue has been resolved and the site is working as expected

We are currently experiencing errors when logging in.  We have opened a critical ticket with our IT and development teams.

 

6:54 pm — The errors have been resolved.  We will continue to monitor the situation

We are currently experiencing server errors in the Practice Lab and in your production sites.  We have opened an emergency ticket and the engineers are trying to determine the cause of the errors.

 

When will TaxSlayer start processing TY2019 orders?

We have processed 2 orders received from the IRS.  We will receive orders on a weekly basis through December 31st and then on Tuesdays and Thursdays in January.

Returning Sites will receive the following email letting you know the order has been processed

There is no attachment to the email.  It is notifying  you that your site has been processed for TY2019.  Site Admins can use their existing login credentials to start getting your site ready for the upcoming filing season.  We currently do not have a date of when we will turn on the “Start New Return” feature at the production sites (we estimate mid-January).  However, you can access all items under configuration to setup new users, etc.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

New Sites will receive the following two emails.

(1) Setting up your site administration credentials

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Setting up login credentials for Account Hub (where you can download the contingency software)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We want to thank Grace for sharing this partner spotlight with us.

• Area 3, Territory Manager Grace McKnight, Seattle Territory in Seattle, Washington – Our territory consist of WA, OR, ID, MT and WY.
  • Northwest Indian College/Lummi Tribe is located near the Victoria BC border West of Bellingham, Washington, in Western Whatcom county.
• Lummi Nation is the third largest tribe in Washington with more than 5,000 members and a 13,000 acre reservation.
• Traditions include:  the Lummi Nation Salmon Ceremony, the Lummi Nation Stommish Water Festival, which started in 1946 and the Tribal Canoe journeys/paddle which begin in 1989.
• The Lummi Nation recently poured $900,000 in charitable donations into the local and greater Washington economy.  Since 2002, the Lummi Nation has given more than $5 million dollars in community contributions to surrounding community and organizations.  Every dollar earned from tribal gaming is invested in public purposes.
• Northwest Indian College is a public college.
• It was established by the Lummi Nation Tribe and is the only accredited Tribal College or University serving reservation communities of Washington, Oregon and Idaho.
• Northwest Indian College has partnered with SPEC since December 2014.  They have one VITA site and one Facilitated Self Assisted (FSA) site.
• Northwest Indian College-VITA site is located at Lummi campus.  NWIC designates several of their private offices to assist and prepare tax returns during the season.  The number of volunteers vary from as many as 8 to 4.   NWIC marketing consist of advertising to the tribal community via flyers , bulletins and social media.
• NWIC set their first goal in 2015 to e-file 50 returns.  The next year, the plan was to increase by 5% and each year thereafter by 5%.
• Northwest Indian College offers benefit screening, Financial Education and Coaching throughout the year.   Their Financial Literacy program provides regular financial literacy education classes and workshops to students.
• One challenge for NWIC has been maintaining a core group of volunteers.
• Best practices:  The site is set-up to be “family friendly”, providing light snacks and beverages for the taxpayers and their children.  Another best practice is “Mentor the New Volunteer”.
• Future Plans:  Continue to open the site early in the season.  Add additional days.  Host events.  Start the volunteer recruitment early in the year.  Continue to advertise in surrounding communities.  Reach out to more tribal members.
• Partner with other tribes.
• In 2020, NWIC will partner with the Swinomish tribe on an Adhoc basis.  Then in 2021, the Swinomish tribe will have their own VITA program.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The answers entered on a return for TY 2018, TY2017, and TY2016 will be eliminated from our system on December 30th.

If you need to run any additional reports for Custom Questions, you will need to run these prior to December 30th.

What happens when I run the reports for prior years 2018, 2017 and 2016 after December 30th?

The reports will run, but the data for the answers entered into the tax return will not be on the report

Will the list of answers still be available for the prior year questions?

Yes, the list of answers will still be available when you create a new prior year return or edit an existing prior year return.

I made my questions required, will my preparers be forced to answer them again for prior year returns?

No, we will by-pass the “is required” feature for questions associated with prior year returns.

If I edit a prior year return or amend a prior year return will I be required to answer the questions again?

No

If I answer the questions on prior year returns after 12/31/2019, will the data show up when I run reports for the prior year?

Yes, If the data is entered in prior years after 12/31/2019 it will s how up in that prior year’s report.

We will post additional information throughout the next few months as reminders and if we get additional questions.

• Multi-Site Group (MSA) = Allows a group administrator the ability to create and assign items from the Configuration menu
  • No  Consent is required because the group administrator does not have the ability to see taxpayer data at the sites
• Relational Group = Allows a group administrator the ability to create and assign items from the Configuration menu, review returns, transmit returns, access returns at the child site level, and run reports for the group of sites
  • A TaxSlayer Relational Consent is required and will be assigned to each site, including the group master, prior to Start New Return from being turned on

When are new sites added to existing groups?

We add new sites to groups once the orders have been processed.  We do this on a weekly basis.

When are new groups created and notified of their group login?

We create any new groups once the orders have been processed.  The group master location must be ordered prior to the group being created.

How will I be notified of my group login?

You will be notified of your group login, default passwords and the sites associated with it via VITA/TCE customer support email.

How do I change the group level administrator?

• AARP/TCE sites must submit the request to AARP Foundation
• Non AARP/TCE sites must submit an email to VITA/TCE Customer support that contains the old group level logins, along with the email address and cell phone (optional) of the new group admin

How do I make changes to the sites assigned to my group?

• AARP/TCE sites must submit the request to AARP Foundation
• Non AARP/TCE sites must submit all request to VITA/TCE Customer support via email that contains detailed information, including the EFIN, Site Name and SIDN