Abby Normal

I heard it on the ATX users facebook page, so when 1040 updated yesterday, I tested it and there was no red error.

ATX realized their programming blunder and you are no longer required to enter an EIN for each group of forms that have withholding. It was a tremendously stupid idea to begin with because most people have multiple W2's, 1099s, etc., and the efile already contains the EIN for each W2, 1099, etc. I'd love to know what the concept was behind this idea to begin with, as I can't see any problem that it was solving.

You moved the data the wrong way and created a new database. It's not too late to start over and do it the right way. You learned the hard way that export/import is not a good way to move your data. You don't get any of your settings, preferences, preparers, form customizations, etc., etc.

You can customize the 1040 Ln 25-Tax WH tab to have the SSA EIN always there for you, in case you have withholding on a 1099-SSA, and it will NOT give you a red error if there is no SS withholding!

Adding this to my list of form customizations, unless it causes an error to have the EIN with no withholding amount. brb

Sometimes I'll look at last year's 1098 and call the automated line for tax info. We usually have all the info needed to pass the ID check.

What happens if you enter a made up EIN (31-1111111)?

I've heard the 3 dots menu referred to as the sushi menu and the 3 dashes, stacked vertically, is the hamburger menu.

https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/2021-tax-filing-season-begins-feb-12-irs-outlines-steps-to-speed-refunds-during-pandemic

If the IRS isn't going to automatically send a new one, that's nuts. When you're already a victim of ID theft, they mail you a new PIN every year, automatically.

I sat through the IRS webinar on this and quickly decided I would continue to fax them, unless I was in a terrible hurry for it to be entered in the CAF system.

Once QuickBooks updates for the new year's forms, you can't go back and print prior years. More than once I've printed prior W2's to pdf and edited the year on every form. You might find an online service or software that will do the 2019 1099's.

I wish. I've submitted an enhancement request for a feature to collapse the icon ribbon and encourage everyone who doesn't use it much to do the same. That's precious screen space I'd like to have, but I doubt ATX has any interest in programming a 'hide' button for the ribbon, like most other software has. And this year it's even worse because they've added more crap I don't need or use and pushed the few icons I do use off the screen, when I'm not running ATX maximized.

You increase basis by enter an other addition on the K1 basis section (for entities) and the basis worksheet for 1040's. BUT you'll still need an M-1 adjustment for the nontaxable income.

This was a problem last year. I don't use ATX's payroll products but I think it had to do with not checking any boxes to say what you wanted printed.

I usually just efile and let ATX reject it (which happens quickly), then recreate the efile and it's fixed.

That's why we almost always use safe harbor amount for estimates. Then you can wait till 4/15 to pay any amount owed. And now you'll have to use the longer annualized income method to determine any underpayment penalty.

I'm encouraging direct deposit and direct debit for everyone. That's quite a hole the IRS has dig themselves out of!

You don't need special server software to run a server. We just have a modestly priced windows 10 computer in a closet that everyone accesses. You just share the drives/folders that contain the data.

But what is the coverage like? Are these plans nonprofit to keep the overhead down?

I do a lot of returns where the revocable trust's ein is on the forms, and I just report it on the 1040, and have never had a problem. But you're right. The instructions do say to file a blank 1041. Although, in practice, I doubt the IRS would really care.

The IRS usually cuts off online access to transcripts within a month of when a person dies. If I already have a POA for a client, I download everything I can as soon as I see the obit. You can file a 2848 as personal representative of the estate and attach the court document showing you as personal rep or executor, but you will still have to request paper copies be mailed. Obviously, now, that entire process could take quite awhile. Make sure you check the box on the 2848 to have copies of everything sent to you. You can fax in the 2848 along with the court doc's, but I'd also m

We use the organizer as a checklist of what documents are needed. You must be using the basic organizer, which I haven't looked at in ages because it was not suitable for our purposes.

I've never had the type of trust that you describe, but if it's ignored for tax purposes, no 1041 is filed. If it's not ignored for tax purposes, the trust will pay taxes if the income is not distributed.