Client Tax Refund

[Christian]

I rarely have need to check the status of a client's refund after efiling their return. However, a client has come in down on his luck and badly needing his refund. I do not bother with credit accounts for well known reasons. I told him he can predate one of his checks on his checking account for like ten days down the road and when his refund hits his bank account I would cash it. I could check "Where's Your Refund" but likely not a good idea. Does ATX have a system in place that advises practitioners when their client refund hits their account ?

[BrewOne]

Not unless you're using a bank product. 

if you were authorized to check the box for Third Party Designee, or have an 8821 or a 2848 on file--and you're comfortable with the idea... use the "Where's Your Refund" function.

[Lee B]

"What information is available?

You can start checking on the status of your refund within

24 hours after e-filing a tax year 2023 return

3 or 4 days after e-filing a tax year 2021 or 2022 return

4 weeks after mailing a return

Where’s My Refund? will give you a personalized refund date after we process your return and approve your refund.

The tracker displays progress through three stages:

Return Received

Refund Approved

Refund Sent

To use Where’s My Refund? you need to provide your Social Security number or individual taxpayer ID number (ITIN), filing status, and exact whole dollar amount of your expected refund."

 

[Medlin Software, Dennis]

Is there an opportunity to charge for reviewing and adjusting withholding/deposits to avoid a refund large enough to “need”?

[Pacun]

Back to your question, no. ATX doesn't have that feature nor does any software package in the market. In order for feature to be available, ATX software will need to connect to "where is my refund" enter the information required (SS#, year, status, refund amount) to the website.  Maybe ai will have that feature in the future. 

[Christian]

He is out of employment for some time and needs the money. I was a bit skittish about using the "Where's My Refund" function to obtain refund info on a client.

[Medlin Software, Dennis]

1 hour ago, Christian said:

He is out of employment for some time and needs the money. I was a bit skittish about using the "Where's My Refund" function to obtain refund info on a client.

If they pay for your time, maybe write out the steps they can use themselves, versus you acting for them. If they cannot pay for your time, or you do not want to charge for the advice, make sure your standard rate includes enough to give some level of advice, if you want to be in the non tax prep advice business.

I get similar questions all the time.  But, I do not want to act as my customer's payroll processor, manage their funds, check their payment status, balances, etc., since I have zero interest of getting looped in their liability chain.  I do not try to teach how to use the web sites of others, such as how to use SSA BSO, or EFTPS, as the entities which run those sites provide fairly well done documentation.

But, to be balanced, this year, with more than ever having to efile W2 data, I may look at being a transmitter (for a fee) since many neglected the advice to register with SSA BSO in a timely fashion.

[Lee B]

You could just send your client this link   https://www.irs.gov/wheres-my-refund