As the Professional side of TaxSlayer navigates through controlled launch, we want to share some of the things that they are seeing.

F8962-070

We are seeing a lot of IRS rejects surrounding the 8962.   As you start preparing returns for your taxpayers remember that is the IRS has on file that anyone on the return has at market place insurance at any time (even if just for a short period of time), it needs to be entered on the tax return, otherwise the return will get rejected.

Note:  If Carry Forward is used on the return and there was a 1095-A in the prior year return, a warning will be presented to the preparer prior to going into the e-file section.

IND-181-01

The Primary Taxpayer did not enter a valid Identity Protection Personal Identification Number (IP PIN). Please visit www.irs.gov/getanippin for further information and resubmit your return with the correct number.

Note:  If Carry Forward is used on the return and was a PIN in the prior year and not in the current year, a warning will be presented to the preparer prior to going into the e-file section.  The IP PIN changes each year for the protection of the taxpayer.

504-02

Each ‘DependentSSN’ and the corresponding ‘DependentNameControlTxt’ that has a value in ‘DependentDetail’ in the return must match the SSN and Name Control in the e-File database.

Tip:  Review the dependents social security card to ensure the SSN and Name is entered in the application as it is displayed on the Social Security Card

When will Start New Return be available at the site level?

Live

How often is the application updated?

The application is updated on Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings during the filing season

What is the start date for e-file?

The IRS announced on January 10th that e-file will begin on January 27th . Note: E-file for VITA/TCE returns will not be turned on until 12:00pm ET on January 27th.

Will I need to open each return created prior to sending e-files on the 27th?

Yes.  We strongly recommend you open and review each return created at the site prior to e-file being turned on.  Calculations are subject to change as we receive additional instructions and guidance from the IRS.

My site is no longer active?

As we receive orders from the IRS, inactive sites will be processed and automatically marked active.  All sites without an active TY2024 order are marked inactive.

Who should I check with on the status of my order?

Your SPEC Relationship Manager

I ordered a FSA Kiosk URL, when will I receive it?

We have started the process of sending out FSA Kiosk URLs.  We will only be emailing URLs to the sites that have sent us their support contact information.

All sites that we have not received a TaxSlayer 2024 order have been marked as inactive.  As we receive orders from the IRS the sites will be sent a notification that their site order has been processed and their site will be activated.

This impacts all users created at the site.  If the site is inactive because we have not received an order, then all users associated with that site will also be inactive.

Please reach out to your SPEC Relationship Manager for the status of your 2024 TaxSlayer order.

Update 12/12/2024  12:23 PM:  A resolution has been deployed that prevents the error.  The originally issued links are fine (it was an issue inside the application).  If your link has expired, please reach out to VITA/TCE support and they will send you a new Site Administrator link.

We began importing the first round of orders this morning (12/12) and we are aware of an issue with the links included in the New Site & New Site Admin e-mails. The links are not allowing a new site/admin to save their login information and instead are receiving a “You do not have access to modify this value” error when attempting to save. We are actively investigating.

Update 12/2  8:00 AM EDT:  We have not received the first order from the IRS.  Once we do, we will update this blog post and begin processing the orders.

We are processing our first set of orders from the IRS. Below is what you can expect:

Returning Sites

• The email address submitted with the order will receive 1 email confirming that we have processed the order.

New Sites

• The email address submitted with the order will receive 2 emails
• The links are one time use only links
• You must know your SIDN in order to create your Admin account
  • TaxSlayer support WILL NOT give you this information
  • If you do not know the SIDN associated with the order, you MUST reach out to your SPEC Relationship Manager
• The default PIN = 98765
• Print Sets, Security Templates, etc will be assigned to your site within 3 business days (Monday-Friday)

Relational and Multi-Site Groups

• The goal is to have these setup and/or updated within a week of processing the order

We will receive orders weekly through the end of December.  Note that any site that we do not have a 2024 order for on 12/31 will be marked as inactive until we receive an order.  We will receive orders two times a week beginning in January.

The 2024 Desktop/Contingency Software & Site Administration OnDemand webinars for the 2025 Filing Season are now available. The direct links are available below and also accessible under Section 6 in the Practice Lab.

• Desktop & Contingency Software – Click Here
• Site Administration – Click Here

Remaining OnDemand Webinars: The remaining OnDemand webinars (Return Preparation 1 & 2) will be made available after Thanksgiving (early December). Additional blog posts will be published with direct links when available. Under Section 6 of the Practice Lab, the 2023 versions are still available for viewing.

The 2024 Enhancement Webinar (2025 Filing Season) will be presented live the week of December 8th. Please contact your SPEC Relationship Manager for additional information.

The IRS has indicated shutdown begins on Saturday, November 30, 2024, at 11:59 p.m. Eastern time, in order to prepare the system for the upcoming Tax Year 2024 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: 2024, 2023, and 2022.

Practice Lab 2024 is scheduled to be released/available on Tuesday, November 5th. Please keep in mind that the Practice Lab will be updated twice a week as we receive finalized forms and instructions from the IRS. With that, we ask volunteers to not report calculation issues to support. We also ask to not report forms where the PDF may still display 2023 instead of 2024.

With the Practice Lab 2024 release, you will have access to PL 2024 and PL 2023.

When you log in to your Production Sites, you will see the following TaxSlayer 2024, 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020 and 2019. You do not have the ability to create new returns in 2024, but you can still prepare returns in all of the available prior years. You will be able to electronically file 2023, 2022 and 2021 until the IRS shuts down their MeF system tentatively scheduled for November 30th at 11:59pm ET.

States will not be available in Practice Lab 2024 until closer to the filing season in either late December or early January. You can use PL 2023 to have your volunteers train or practice with state returns.