In TaxSlayer Pro, the Other Categories menu under Personal Information provides questions that set certain conditions in the return as well as enable certain features.
Allow Another Person to Discuss Return with IRS - Select this option to set either the preparer or another individual as the Third-Party Designee with whom the IRS can discuss the return. The third-party info will print on the second page of Form 1040 (or in 2018 on Schedule 6). If the taxpayer does not want to allow another person to discuss their return with the IRS, leave this option at NO.
Disaster Designation - If the taxpayer was located in a designated disaster area, select the Disaster Designation menu and enter the appropriate disaster designation number. To locate a FEMA disaster designation code, search here.
Tax Years 2020-2021 only:
- COVID/Disaster & Electing to Use PY Earned Income - If the taxpayers home was located in a federally declared disaster area, or if the taxpayer is electing to use their prior year earned income to figure their Earned Income Credit (EIC), and/or Child Tax Credit (CTC), select YES and enter the amount of the prior year earned income in the space provided. If the taxpayer opts to use their prior year combat pay to calculate the credits, enter the amount in the space provided.
Military Processing - If the taxpayer or spouse is in the military and/or deployed to one of the listed locations, select the option that applies to his/her situation. In most cases, the literal selected is Combat Zone.
Attach PDF Document- This option allows you to select one or more PDFs to attach to the tax return, e.g., brokerage statements. Any documents attached here will be transmitted with the tax return to the IRS.
Print Date - Use this option to set the date that prints in the "Paid Preparer Use Only" section of the 1040 on returns that have been marked complete. Certain state returns use this date as well.
Force Itemized Deductions or Dual-Status Alien - TaxSlayer Pro always uses the greater of the standard deduction or itemized deductions, however there may be a situation when you want to force the program to use itemized deductions over the standard deduction. If so, select Force System to Use Itemized Deductions to calculate the return using the itemized deductions that have been entered. To revert back to using the greater of standard or itemized deductions, select the menu title again.
A dual status alien is not eligible to claim the standard deduction, so this option is also used in such a return to force using itemized deductions.
Request for Change in Media Preference - Select to complete Form 9000, Alternative Media Preference. Taxpayers with print disabilities can use Form 9000 to elect to receive written communications from the IRS in an accessible format. Once processed, the election will apply to written communications that would otherwise be sent in standard print format.
Request for Change in Language Preference - Select to complete Schedule LEP, Request for Change in Language Preference. A taxpayer with limited English proficiency can file Schedule LEP to indicate their
language of preference for IRS-issued written communication among the 20 languages offered. Schedule LEP is also filed to revoke a previous request.
Print English or Spanish Forms - This option allows you to select whether you want forms to print in English or Spanish.
Are you a non-paid preparer? - If you are a non-paid preparer, answer Yes to the question, then choose either IRS-Prepared or IRS-Reviewed. For e-file purposes, these are the only two acceptable responses.
Print organizer for client next year - When this option is marked in the current year's program, the client will automatically be marked in next year's program to have an organizer printed. For additional information on printing a client organizer click here.
Bona Fide Resident of Puerto Rico - Answer Yes or No as appropriate. If the answer is Yes and the address on the return is in Puerto Rico, you'll be given one or two additional options:
- Print Return on Form 1040-SS (SP)/1040-SS - Select to change Form 1040 to Form 1040-SS in either English or Spanish.
- Qualifies for EIC - This question is asked if Form 1040 is chosen above. Select Yes or No as appropriate.
Married Filing Jointly menu item:
- Treat NRA Spouse as U.S. Resident for Entire Year - Answer Yes or No as appropriate.
Married Filing Separately menu items:
- MFS and Spouse Lived with Taxpayer during the Year - Select Yes if the taxpayer lived with the spouse at any point during the tax year.
- MFS and claiming spouse's exemption - Select Yes to claim the spouse's exemption.
- MFS and Spouse Itemized or Dual-Status Return - Select to force using itemized deductions, because the spouse also itemized, or because the taxpayer is a dual-status alien.
- MFS and meets the requirements to claim the EIC - Select Yes if the taxpayer meets the requirements to claim the EIC.
Head of Household menu item:
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HOH and claiming spouse's exemption - If the taxpayer qualifies for head of household filing status because they are considered unmarried, they can claim an exemption for their spouse only if their spouse had no gross income, is not filing a return, and was not the dependent of another taxpayer. This is true even if the other taxpayer does not actually claim the spouse as a dependent. The taxpayer can claim an exemption for their spouse even if he or she is a nonresident alien. Also, the spouse must have no gross income for U.S. tax purposes.|
If answering Yes, you'll need to enter the spouse's full name and SSN, or indication that the spouse has applied for an SSN or is a nonresident alien.
Mark Return as Private - Select this option to password protect an individual return. If a return is password protected as a private return the SSN/EIN will also be masked on the tax returns / client list. When a private return is selected from the client list, the password must be entered in order to open the return.
Pro Premium subscribers:
- Associate with Pro App Return? - If the taxpayer has submitted info using the TaxesToGo mobile app but the return wasn't started via the app, you can use this menu item to link the TaxesToGo account with the return. In doing so, you'll be able to see the documents they submitted in the app and you'll be able to send the tax return back through the app for the taxpayer to sign.