Tag: Pro Desktop

Your ideas and suggestions are important to us. The VITA/TCE Suggestion Box is designed for you to give us your feedback and ideas that will assist you in servicing your taxpayers. Each submission is designed to be one suggestion so we can more easily track the information and provide feedback. You can submit multiple suggestions.

A link to the VITA/TCE Suggestion Box is available on the left navigation bar within the TaxSlayer Pro Online application so you have access to it when you are logged in to either your site or The Practice Lab. The Suggestion Box is how you submit all software revision/enhancement requests. If you try to submit suggestions by contacting VITA/TCE Support, they will ask that your suggestion be submitted via the Suggestion Box.

The VITA/TCE Suggestion Box allows us to easily make all suggestion/enhancements available to the entire VITA/TCE community, along with implementation feedback directly to you.

Information you will need to submit a suggestion (all required)

What is your SIDN?

• Enter the 8 numerical digits.  This allows us track all of the suggestions submitted by your site.

What is your email address?

• This is very important in case we need to reach out to you to ask clarifying questions.

Program Type?

• You will choose from the drop down list.

What is your primary role at your VITA/TCE site?

• We know that many of you perform multiple roles at the site.  However, select the role that is your primary responsibility.  You also have the option of selecting “Other” and then specifying your role.

Software Type used at your site

• Select either Pro Online or Pro Desktop

Select the Program Area for your suggestion/enhancement

• This helps us categorize the requests.  If you select State, you will need to enter your State Abbreviation

Provide a detailed description of your suggestion/enhancement

• The more detail you can give us the better.  We want to understand exactly what you are looking for.

How would the above suggestion/enhancement benefit your site

• Tell us how this suggestion/enhancement would benefit your site. For example:  45% of the taxpayers that come to my site need to file Form XXXX.  If it were implemented in the software, it would save us a considerable amount of time manually preparing that form and we could e-file more returns.

Suggestion/Enhancement Classification

• Calculation = The change impacts the calculation of the tax return
• Usability Improvement = The change makes it easier and more efficient to complete a tax return
• Quality Improvement = The change enhances the quality review process and/or the overall quality of the return

What is your priority ranking?

1 = Critical to prepare an accurate return.

2 = Important

3 = Nice to have

Click here to access the VITA/TCE Suggestion box

You will need to open a new instance of the link for each new suggestion.

Note: The VITA/TCE Suggestion box is powered by Survey Monkey

Selecting the My Account Login from the VITA/TCE Springboard will take you to a more modern version of My Account.

Note:  For now, it is going to take 30 – 90 seconds to render the login page.  We are aware and are working on a solution.

Login

You will use the same username and login credentials that you used for My Account.  If you have forgotten them, you follow the same forgot password process as usual.

Software Options

Select to download 2018, 2017, 2016 and/or 2015

Account History

Click View to display your EFIN Validation Code (required for completing desktop installation)

Account Information

Displays your email address, telephone number and allows you to update your password

Company Information

Allows you to view the information we have on file.  Changes made to this page have no impact on your Pro Online setup or how we have you setup in our system.

Changing your SIDN:  Email support

Changing your EFIN:  Contact your SPEC  Relationship Manager

Any changes you make to this page should also be emailed to your SPEC Relationship Manager so they can update the IRS Ordering System

The new 1040 Post Card and new Schedules 1 through 6 will require a print set to be created that can be used to print returns that will be mailed via paper to the IRS.

The existing print sets that TaxSlayer delivers will contain the “stacked” version  of the schedules that will contain a “do not mail” watermark.

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

What does Stacked mean?

We can print two of the schedules on the same page as long as they are watermarked in a way that indicates they are not to be mailed to the IRS.

What will the new print set assigned by TaxSlayer be called?

We are not sure yet, but it have a clear indication that it should be used to print “paper” returns that will be mailed to the IRS.  The IRS requires that each of the new Schedules be printed on an individual page for all mailed returns.

This is just a heads up that changes to print sets will be changing prior to e-file opening in January.  We DO NOT have a specific date when the Schedules will be available to add to the print sets or when the new “stacked” schedules with a watermark will be available.

For Tax Year 2017, e-file closes on Nov. 17; After that, disaster victims, others need to file on paper

WASHINGTON —The Internal Revenue Service today reminded people, including those in disaster areas, who want to file a 2017 tax return electronically to do so by Saturday, Nov. 17, 2018. Filing of paper tax returns will remain available after that date.

IRS Modernized e-file, the system that processes electronically-filed individual returns, will shut down after Nov. 17, enabling the IRS to perform annual maintenance and to reprogram the system for the upcoming 2019 tax-filing season.

As a result, any taxpayer needing to file after Nov. 17 will need to do so on paper.

While the vast majority of individuals have already filed their tax year 2017 federal tax returns, victims of Hurricane Michael, Hurricane Florence and other recent disasters qualify for an additional extension. This includes taxpayers who live, work or have a business in a federally declared disaster area, have a U.S. tax filing obligation and had previously obtained a valid 6-month extension of time to file their federal tax return. Extended deadlines vary by locality and range from Dec. 17, 2018, to Feb. 28, 2019. Currently, parts of Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, Wisconsin and the Northern Mariana Islands qualify.

Note:  TY 2016 and TY2015 returns will also have to be paper filed during the cut-over period

IRS will conduct maintenance on several electronic systems, including e-Services, over the Veterans Day weekend beginning Sunday, Nov. 11 at 8:00 a.m. ET through Monday, Nov. 12 at 6:00 p.m. ET.

Impact:

We will not be transmitting returns or receiving acknowledgements during this extended maintenance period.

Fact Sheet Edition:  November, 2018

Update

The initial release of the tax year 2018 Practice Lab will not have all the new tax reform changes programmed because the final IRS forms are not yet finalized. We have evaluated the impact to individuals taking the VITA/TCE Certification test. Volunteers should still be able to certify but you should proceed with caution when selecting answers as the Practice Lab may provide tax year 2018 calculations on 2017 forms. TaxSlayer will update the Practice Lab as final forms are approved.

Background

The Practice Lab is tax software that is integrated within Link & Learn Taxes. A link connects students to the 2018 tax preparation software which allows hands-on practice in preparing tax returns.

Click here to download a PDF of the Fact Sheet

Fact Sheet Edition:  October, 2018

Click here to download a PDF of the Fact Sheet

Click here to view PDF

Click here to submit a suggestion

There are three attachments

• Attachment #1:  Dedicated to application and federal suggestions
• Attachment #2: Dedicated to State suggestions
  • Sorted by State
• Attachment #3:  TaxSlayer Suggestion Status
  • Broken into categories
  • Duplicates have been removed and only list the TaxSlayer Responses
  • Column indicating when the item is expected to be delivered (TS 2017 or TS 2018)
  • Column indicating if the item was added or updated since the last document (as always…prone to human error!!)

An example of the status column can be found by Tracking ID 269372 (Ctrl+F allows you search in the document)

Check out Attachment 3 to see the rest of the new and/or update items.

More exciting changes to come.

We are still reading through and analyzing the suggestions.  We are also beginning to update the Status column as we commit to implement a suggestions.

Click here to view PDF

The link will launch a Brainshark video with instructions on how to view the file.