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.
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.
Force Itemized Deductions or Dual-Status Alien - The program will always use 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'. The program will now calculate the return based off of the itemized deductions entered. If you want to change it back, simply select the menu title again and the program will calculate the return based on which deduction is greater. Note - A dual status alien is not eligible to claim the standard deduction. Select this option to force the use of itemized deductions.
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, select IRS-Prepared or IRS-Reviewed. For e-filing purposes, the IRS will only accept IRS-Prepared or IRS-Reviewed as 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.
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.
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.
Associate with Pro App Return - For returns that were not started in the Mobile App, you can use this menu item to associate a TaxesToGo mobile app account with the return created in your program. Doing this will allow the taxpayer to share documents through the mobile app to you and gives you the ability to send the tax return back through the app for the taxpayer to sign.
