QSRA Number: QSRA 2020-01

Issued:  January 22, 2020

QSR Topic:  Quality Site Requirement #4 – Reference Materials

Reason Issued:  Change in policy: Quality Site Requirement (QSR) #4 – Reference Materials

New Policy:  QSR #4 is expanded to include the Publication 4299, Privacy, Confidentiality, and Civil Rights – A Public Trust (PDF), as one of the required reference materials that must be available (either in paper or electronic format) at the site for use by volunteers. To heighten awareness of security requirements at VITA/TCE sites, Publication 4299 is now required to be readily available to coordinators and volunteers at the VITA/TCE sites.

References:  The Publications 17, 4012 and 4299 are all available for download on IRS.gov or by signing into the TaxSlayer tax preparation software and selecting the option VITA/TCE Publications and User Guides found on the Navigation Bar.

The following VITA Tax Alerts can be accessed with the link below:

VTA-2020-01  Issued January 13, 2020:  Tax Law Extenders

VTA-2020-02 Issued January 29, 2020:  Form 1099-R Box 7 Distribution Codes • Self-Employed Health Insurance Deduction • Special Rule for Determining Earned Income for Individuals Impacted by Federally Declared Disasters

VTA-2020-03 Issued March 3, 2020:  Medicaid waiver payments and refundable credits

Click here to view VTAs

The conference begins at 1:00 PM Eastern Time on February 13, 2020; you may join the conference 5 minutes prior.

Dial-in: 888-251-2949 or 215-861-0694
Access Code: 3719634#

This an opportunity to hear from TaxSlayer about the software and the filing season.  Participants will have an opportunity to ask general software questions.  Keep in mind that TaxSlayer cannot answer tax return or site specific questions on this call.   TaxSlayer VITA/TCE Support is available to handle return and site specific questions.

The conference begins at 1:00 PM Eastern Time on January 30, 2020; you may join the conference 5 minutes prior.

Dial-in: 888-251-2949 or 215-861-0694
Access Code: 3284966#

This an opportunity to hear from TaxSlayer about the software and the filing season.  Participants will have an opportunity to ask general software questions.  Keep in mind that TaxSlayer cannot answer tax return or site specific questions on this call.   TaxSlayer VITA/TCE Support is available to handle return and site specific questions.

11/18/19 – E-filing is no longer available until a To-Be-Determined date in January 2020. Federal and state returns prepared at this time must be paper filed.

1040 MeF Production Shutdown/Cutover Schedule

Shutdown begins on Saturday, November 16, 2019, at 11:59 p.m. in order to prepare the system for the upcoming Tax Year 2019 Filing Season.

What does this mean for you?

You will not be able to electronically file any year return until e-file comes back up at a yet to be determined date in January of 2020.

The below message was released by the IRS. During the below outlined times, returns electronically filed will not receive an acknowledgement until after system maintenance has been completed.

“Both the MeF ATS and Production environments will be unavailable for use Sunday August 18, 2019, beginning at 1:00 a.m. Eastern through 1:00 p.m. Eastern. Maintenance will be performed to ensure the system is functioning at peak performance.

We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.”

The IRS MeF system is now available.

The IRS issues a Quick Alert that their MeF Production system is unavailable.

What does this mean to you?

We will not be able to transmit e-files and pick up Federal or State acknowledgements.

For specific information refer to the following resources located on www.irs.gov:

• Link and Learn Taxes – Puerto Rico courses
• Publication 1321, Special Instructions for Bona Fide Residents of Puerto Rico Who Must File a U.S. Individual Income Tax Return
• Publication 915, Social Security and Equivalent Railroad Retirement Benefits
• Publication 4696(PR), VITA/TCE Puerto Rico Resource Guide