NY Driver License required

[B. Jani]

Just got email from NYS about driver license requirement for 2016 tax return preparation.     Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Webpage. Tax Year 2016 NYS Driver License Requirement: Overview and FAQs The New York State Tax Department, in partnership and collaboration with the IRS and other states, continually assesses and improves its fraud deterrence systems for the mutual benefit of the State and its taxpayers, including the tax professional community.   This year, we’ve taken the step of requiring an additional verification measure in personal income tax preparation software: the collection of driver license and state-issued ID information.   Historically, our process of informing the tax preparation community about new requirements has been to communicate and work with tax preparation software developers; test for their compliance before approving; and then notify tax professionals upon issuing each year’s updated Publication 93, New York State Personal Income Tax Modernized e-File (MeF) Guide For Return Preparers For Tax Year 2016.   This year, through the attention of the tax professional community, we’ve recognized an opportunity to enhance our communication with this group to provide accurate and consistent information about upcoming changes such as this requirement. The Driver License Requirement for Tax Year 2016 document, also available on the Tax Professionals landing page, is one of multiple communications steps we’re taking moving forward.    Some of you will receive this email more than once, as you belong to multiple professional communities. Please pardon the duplication.

 

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[Oh Baby!]

So you are required to have ID to file taxes, or more specifically, get your refund, but you do not need ID in NY to vote?

[jklcpa]

We aren't going to discuss states' voting requirements. 

[schirallicpa]

when will the DOJ start paying me for doing their police work.

[Gail in Virginia]

17 minutes ago, schirallicpa said:

when will the DOJ start paying me for doing their police work.

Right after the IRS pays you for auditing tax returns as you do them.

[jklcpa]

Add to that list that we are also safeguarding all the world's identities from data thieves with a myriad of log-ins and passwords all while the government systems are the ones being hacked.

I need chocolate already!

[Jack from Ohio]

[Medlin Software, Dennis]

My pet peeve:  "Security" software vendors who choose not to be accurate.  By not being accurate, their customers eventually have to disable their "security" software to install known good software, making the "security" (and payment for said "security") pointless.

It is a no win for me.  I have to tell folks to contact their "security" vendor for help, since the issue is not on our end.  (not a great solution, even though the most accurate)

The usual feedback is it must be our fault because the "security" vendor must not be wrong...  It usually is the :security" vendor, but sometimes it is the user who does not keep their "security" software current.

If I had a nickel for each time I end up providing support for the product of others...

 

 

[jklcpa]

1 hour ago, Jack from Ohio said:

After today, I'll need all of that and more....

[SaraEA]

And only now we're hearing that NJ will not release any refunds until March 1.  GA won't begin processing returns until Feb 1 and says they will take about 90 days.  Any word on other states planning refund delays?

As the IRS filters got more sophisticated, crooks did start targeting states.  I had several clients who received 1099Gs from states where they had never filed.  Now the states are fighting back as best they can.  The driver license requirement is a bit much.  Most have a million digits, which we have to type and double check.  I would love it if some of these software companies would build in verification, where you have to enter critical numbers twice.  HRB had that way back when I worked there and I hated it.  Now I miss it, especially when it comes to bank routing and account numbers (and soon driver license numbers).

Half of my clients don't get refunds, or if they do they apply them, but for the rest we'll have some 'splaining to do.

[Catherine]

39 minutes ago, SaraEA said:

where you have to enter critical numbers twice

Drake has that for bank information and for W-2 information.  Yes, I hate it except that I love it.  A couple of times I've gotten mis-matches that needed attention (you also get mis-matches from last year's bank data that is only entered on ONE line, so that you *have* to check it).