Software vendors received the below messaging from Colorado, Georgia and New Mexico about initial filing delays. To sum it up, once e-filing is opened for VITA/TCE, acknowledgements for these states will be delayed.

• GEORGIA – Will open on February 2. Any returns that are being transmitted to them during the Controlled Launch and the period January 29 – February 1 will not receive an acknowledgement until after they open the filing season on February 2.
• COLORADO – Colorado has stated that they estimate that they will not be opening for e-file until February 12.
• NEW MEXICO – NM mentioned they will be slow to return acknowledgements over the 1^st couple weeks of e-file because they are throttling back processing to ensure everything is on their end is working as expected.

“2023 CA Individual (Web Only) Reject Code F540-570 – Not eligible for renter credit because AGI too high.”

Workaround: If you have a return(s) receiving the above reject code for California, to correct, log back into the return, go into the California return > Credits > Renters Credit. Answer the question “Do you qualify for the Renters Credit?” as NO. You can now go through e-file to resubmit the CA return.

The update to correct this will go out either Monday or Wednesday of next week. Watch for Release Notes.

Software vendors received the below message from AL DOR. AL returns can still be transmitted as normal, just note there will be a delay in receiving an acknowledgement.

“Alabama has not started sending out acknowledgments. We plan to start sending them out by the end of the week.“

The IRS has indicated shutdown begins on Saturday, November 18, 2023, at 11:59 p.m. Eastern time, in order to prepare the system for the upcoming Tax Year 2023 Filing Season. After this date and time, no returns can be electronically filed. Additional information available here.

Note: TaxSlayer Pro applications will still be available after the cutover, but if you prepare returns, you will need to file them via paper until the IRS brings their 1040 MeF system back online in late January. When the 1040 MeF system comes back online, you will be able to electronically file the following years: 2023, 2022, and 2021.

Iowa’s production system is currently unavailable until November 13th for system updates. This means that acknowledgments for e-filed IA returns will not be delivered until November 13th at the earliest. Sites can still e-file IA returns during this period.

10/14/23

Maine has resumed processing returns/acknowledgements.

10/13/23 – Update from Maine with more details about the ack delays.

“Maine Revenue Services has received a lot of questions regarding the stoppage of MeF processing.  I received word late last night that this also includes paper filing as well.  Here is what I did find out last night and I will keep you updated with any new information that I receive.

1. MRS will still pull all MEF returns from the IRS daily, this includes 1040, 1120, 941P, and 1041
2. MRS will still accept paper returns
3. There is no need to change the way you would have originally filed a return
4. All returns are processed by date received – which is the date they are pulled from the IRS or received by mail
5. The stoppage is not related to MeF or paper forms, but an internal processing error on 1040 returns which we are feverishly correcting

MRS’s MeF process ties all processing of 1120, 1040, 941P, and 1041 together until the submissions have made it into the internal system which is why this is affecting all of our MeF profiles.  We are unable to individually turn of a single profile.  For the paper forms, those are sorted by tax type then processed.  All other tax types other than 1040 will continue to get processed normally if they are paper filed.

MRS sincerely apologizes for this inconvenience.”

The below message was received this afternoon from Maine Revenue Services. Maine has not indicated an ETA for when acknowledgements will resume processing.

“Maine Revenue Services executives have decided to stop all MeF processing due to internal return processing issues not related to MeF.“

Software vendors received the below message from Maine Revenue Services.

“As a reminder, Maine is performing an upgrade to our internal software which will be completed in 1 to 2 years.  As we have done in prior years for Corporate and Pass-Through, processing will be put on hold for 1040ME and 1041ME.

The last day we will pull 1040ME and 1041ME returns from the IRS will be Thursday September 14^th, 2023.  Those returns will post (if they pass our validations) on Friday September 15^th, 2023.  Any returns received at the IRS after Thursday September 14^th, 2023 will NOT be picked up from the IRS or processed until Tuesday October 10^th, 2023.  ACK’s will not be sent for those returns received after Thursday September 14^th, 2023 until we resume processing on Tuesday October 10^th, 2023.

One additional item, due to transferring from our current legacy system to our new system all other MeF services (1120, 941P) will be affected from Thursday October 5^th at 12:01am until the morning of Tuesday October 10^th.  Returns can be submitted, but will not be retrieved from the IRS until our system is back up and running on October 10^th.  

We apologize for any inconvenience and delay in processing this may cause.  If you have any questions please contact us.“

The below message was shared to software vendors from the Ohio Department of Taxation.

“As shared with our partners previously, Ohio’s Individual and School District Income Taxes are transitioning into our new NextGen system, OTS (Ohio Tax System) on 9/5/23.  In preparation for the migration to our new system, we will be shutting off the processing of MeF returns for only Individual and School District Income Tax submissions starting the very early morning hours of Monday 8/21/23 through Tuesday 9/5/23. 

What you will need to do

1. You can continue to transmit Individual and School District Income Tax submissions during this time frame but they will be held at the IRS and will not be picked up/processed (with acknowledgements sent) by Ohio until 9/5/23. 
2. We request that you please place messaging in your software to advise your users of this time frame
   1. Advise that returns submitted electronically during this timeframe will be credited with the correct submission date (i.e. IRS submission date) but the returns will not be processed and any acceptance/rejection messaging will not be sent until 9/5/23.
      1. Also, include a reminder that there is no benefit in printing and mailing the returns instead of waiting for these to be processed on 9/5/23.  Paper returns can take 8 to 10 weeks to be processed.

NOTE – this affects Individual and School District Income Tax submissions only.  This DOES NOT affect any other Ohio taxes submitted electronically (i.e. Muni, Fiduciary or Pass Through Entity).“