Scenario:  You have transmitted returns and your status is remaining “Transmitted”

Navigate to Reports and run the “Validation Erros” Report to see if you are receiving the following error:

Note:  It will be the State abbreviations of your specific site.

Updated info: Next, navigate to the Configuration>>ERO Setup and verify that the zip code field for both have the zip code and not your state abbreviations. We automatically uploaded this information to correct the zip code in ERO setup at approximately 1:00 pm EST.

The zip code we entered was based on the order we received from the IRS.  Make the appropriate correction to the zip code field.

How to I send these returns after the correction to setup has been made?

Note:  You DO NOT have to open each return.

1. Run the Validation Errors report first to identify the taxpayers
2. Navigate to Transmissions
3. Select Add Returns

4.  Select the returns that received the validation error (most likely all that are listed with the status of Transmitted)

5.  Once all the selections are made, click Add Returns

6. close the dialog box by selecting the X in the upper right corner

These returns are now available for you to resend.

Blog posted 01/29/2018

F1040-NR users claiming a tax treaty exemption for W-2 income this year are now eligible to e-file those returns. If eligible to claim this exemption when completing a 1040NR return, got to Basic Information > Schedule OI > General Information. To claim the treaty exemption, you first must check the box “Check if you were subject to tax in a foreign country on U.S. exempt income” then enter the applicable amount of wages from the W-2. The below red text will be removed now that the e-file block has been removed for 1040-NR returns claiming the treaty exemption for wages. Don’t worry, you CAN e-file these returns.

After completing the applicable information within the Schedule OI > General Information, select Continue to complete the rest of the Schedule OI’s menus, such as “Income Exempt from Tax”. This is where you will select the country and Tax Treaty Article to support the exempt wages.

Scenario:  There are forms and/or worksheets that are printing in the print sets “assigned” to my site by TaxSlayer

• Master Print
• Master Print (2 8879s)
• Quality Review

Solution:  You will need to create a custom print set at the site.  Click to view Video

Blog Posted 01/29/2018

The site will be placed in maintenance on Monday, January 29th at 5:00am Eastern to release a series of updates.

• M1PR menu not loading. This has been resolved
• 1040NR – Removed e-file block if tax exempt treaty income is claimed on the return.
• Forms Completed – Under Deductions, “Education Credits” now appears after completing F8863.
• Health Insurance – Fixed an issue where exemption menus were not visible when indicating NO insurance for all household members all year.

Scenario: Select a print set for a return from the Review Returns menu

Problem:  The PDF contains all forms, including the cover page, worksheets, etc.

Workaround:  Select a print set from the Client List or from inside the return

Solution:  We will fix this in a future update.

Note:  This only occurs when the print set is selected under Review Returns

Blog Posted 01/27/2018

Below is a reminder of the message sent out by SPEC last week.  Today is the opening day for many sites to service your taxpayers on EITC Awareness Day.

We have an additional report that will list all returns (regardless of status) that you may want to run prior to electronically filing the return.  It also includes the state abbreviation of any state listed on the return.

This is listed under Reports>>Management Reports

Make sure you select 2017 and select the EFIN even if you are running it at your site level.

~~  Original blog Post ~~~

VITA/TCE sites that prepared tax returns prior to January 29^th will now be able to transmit those created returns.  To ensure these returns are re-calculated based on the updated forms and instructions released by IRS to software vendors, each tax return must be opened prior to transmitting to TaxSlayer. This will ensure previously prepared tax returns have the updated IRS forms calculations applied prior to transmission and reduce the need of VITA/TCE sites having to prepare amended returns.

Sites are strongly encouraged to run a Site Production Detail management report (titled: Pro Web Returns – Detailed Return Report) listing all returns prepared prior to January 29^th to assess possible return calculations changes.  This report will reflect the original return calculations for refund, credit, or balance due dollar amounts.  Sites may also review the “Client Return History” to determine if the refund or balance due changed on a tax return.

Taxpayers must sign a new declaration (Form 8879, IRS e-file Signature Authorization) if the electronic return data on individual income tax returns is changed after taxpayers signed the original, and the amounts differ by more than either $50 to “Total income” or “AGI,” or $14 to “Total tax,” “Federal income tax withheld,” “Refund,” or “Amount you owe.”  See Publication 1345, Handbook for Authorized IRS e-file Providers of Individual Income Tax Returns, for additional guidance.

Click here for speedtest

The following information was distributed in a Fact Sheet in October, and as we move into preparing live returns, we wanted to highlight some troubleshooting tips when preparers at your site are experiencing slowness (i.e. taking a long time between page refreshes, your browser title displaying the words “not responding” in parenthesis, the screen freezing, etc.)

Note:  Check the blog or message center to see if we have a post regarding maintenance, a system wide issue, or an issue that is effecting many users.  These would typically be the Summary/Print page not displaying a calculation, a PDF not generating, or something very specific not loading.

• Make sure you are running the latest version of your preferred internet browser
  • If you have access to a different browser, close your current browser and try the same thing in a different browser.  Support will recommend that you try the same action in Chrome, or if you are already using Chrome, to log out of the application and close all instances of your browser (not just the browser tab).
• Try a hard refresh (Ctrl+F5) to clear your active cache.

There are several variables that can create slowness at a local level:

• Is your internet service shared connectivity in the host location?
  • This is common among internet provided by cable companies
  • DSL is a more direct type of connectivity but speed is controlled by the level of the subscribed provider plan.  A lot of internet providers will slow down connectivity speed if usage exceeds the allotted plan.
  • Host site employees and people other than those preparing taxes may be using the shared internet, thus decreasing available bandwidth.
• Is your internet connection wired or wireless?
  • Wired internet connection is typically faster and more stable
• Is your internet connection via a hot spot?
  • A hot spot uses cellular service, so connectivity is going to depend on how many bars of service are available and how many active users are accessing the same hot spot.
• How many workstations are connected to the internet router and active at one time?
• What else is happening on the workstation
  • Are there multiple browsers open (i.e. Chrome and Internet Explorer)
  • How many other active internet sites are open
    • Some sites are dynamic and are running advertisements and notifications
    • Most state and government agency sites that are used for research are static

It is to note that if we detect any type of interruption, we terminate the session.  This is an enforced security protocol to ensure the integrity of taxpayer data.  For example:  If your connection is slow and taking a long time to exchange data packets, we will terminate the session.

For sites experiencing slowness, send the following information with the Subject line “Speed Test” to [email protected]

• SIDN
• City/State
• Time of Test
• Internet Provider
• Connectivity — Wired, Wireless, Hot Spot at the site experiencing the slowness
• Number of computers at the site accessing the internet connection (including those accessing the internet, but not necessarily using the application)
• Internet download/upload speed from the site, this enables us to create a database of this information Click here for speedtest
• Go to a command prompt and type or copy: “tracert vita.taxslayerpro.com”
  • Copy and paste results into the email or use a screen capture function to gather the information

The site will be placed in maintenance on Thursday, January 25th at 5:00am Eastern to release a series of updates.

• Text updates to assist prepares completing the affordability worksheet. Screenshots will be provided after the deployment

On the Household Income screen additional text was added to further explain this entry is only needed if preparers will be completing the Affordability Worksheet later.

On the LCBP and SLCSP screen, the outlined text received an overall update to explain to preparers how to retrieve the LCBP and SLCSP premium values

Various updates on the Affordability Worksheet when entering annualized contribution amounts. The word “ANNUALIZED” is now bold and in all CAPS. We also added text next to Situation 1 and 2 to help explain the monthly figure needs to be multiplied by 12 and then entered into each applicable month.