Last day e-files will be accepted?

[Jack from Ohio]

Does anyone have a definitive source showing the last day IRS will accept e-files this season?  I have not found anything definite.  Just trying to plan.

[Lee B]

In the last 4 or 5 years, I don't think the IRS has announced the date until early November.

The date for 1040s has been sometime during Thanksgiving week.

[Evan S. Golar]

I was told by my software tech support (UltraTax) that the target date is November 20th.

[jklcpa]

This year’s 1040 MeF Production shutdown/cutover and acknowledgment retrieval schedule:

1040 MeF Production Shutdown/Cutover Schedule

Shutdown begins on Saturday, November 18, 2017, at 11:59 p.m. in order to prepare the system for the upcoming Tax Year 2017 Filing Season.

Important Note: States who schedule retrieval of their state submissions may have to change their schedule in order to retrieve submissions in time to validate returns and submit acknowledgements by 11:30 p.m., November 18th. Anything not retrieved through MeF by 11:30 p.m., November 18th, cannot be accessed again until MeF reopens for 1040 MeF Production for Filing Season 2018.

Shutdown Deadlines on Saturday, November 18, 2017 Transmitters:

Transmitting Submissions (State & Federal) 10:00 p.m. Retrieving Acknowledgements 11:59 p.m.

States:

Transmitting Acknowledgements 11:30 p.m.

MeF Assurance Testing System (ATS) Schedule ATS will remain open throughout this production shutdown/cutover period.

Important Note: BMF returns are not impacted by this IMF Production Shutdown/Cutover schedule.

The BMF Production Shutdown/Cutover schedule will be communicated in a QuickAlerts, outlining the exact timeframes, in early December and the times will be posted on the MeF Status Page. Please monitor the MeF Status Page for any updates. We apologize for any inconveniences and thank you for your cooperation.

Please see new release IR-2017-183, issued Oct. 31, 2017 for disaster victims and paper returns information.

[Lee B]

Copy of today's post from ATX Kristin:

 

"E-file will be shutdown the night of 11/17 (the day before) in order to allow for acknowledgements to be received"

[Abby Normal]

Update: She thinks it will be 6PM EST.

[Abby Normal]

Apparently it was 5pm.

[TaxmannEA]

Does the shut down also apply to 2015 returns? I just got a late filer who had 15 and 16 to file.

[Lee B]

Yes, it applies to 2014, 2015 & 2016.

[Lion EA]

CCH Software News - IRS Individual e-File Production Shutdown/Cut Over Schedule and Disaster Relief Filing Extension Implications Dear CCH ProSystem fx Customer: The IRS announced in a QuickAlert on Tuesday, October 31, 2017, that their shutdown/cut over for federal and state Individual Tax returns will begin on Saturday, November 18, 2017, starting at 11:59 PM EST. This shutdown/cut over allows the IRS to perform maintenance on their e-Filing system to prepare for the upcoming 2017 tax year filing season. The shutdown/cut over will last until the opening day of the 2017 tax year filing season early in 2018 when you will be able to file 2017 returns and resume e-Filing returns for tax years 2015 and 2016. Timeframes for Your Planning In this announcement, the IRS requires CCH, as a transmitter, to stop sending submissions at 10:00 PM EST, therefore, you must release your returns so they are in Transmitted status no later than 9:59 PM EST on Saturday, November 18, 2017. However, to ensure all federal, state, and city returns are in transmitted status by the deadline, you should release returns as early in the day as possible. We recommend you release your returns no later than 1:00 PM EST. This is particularly important for the following scenarios: States and cities linked to the Federal return. We hold the state/city in status Ready to transmit - Validation Complete until the Federal return is accepted. The acceptance of the Federal return could occur several hours after you release the Federal return. States and cities acknowledgements of returns. States/cities are required to return acknowledgements by 11:30 PM EST, and a higher volume of returns at the 10:00 PM EST transmitter deadline could create a return processing back-log for the state/city jeopardizing the return of acknowledgements to the transmitter. Should a state not acknowledge a return by the deadline, you will not receive the acknowledgement until after the 2017 tax year filing season opens in early 2018, with the exception of 2014 return acknowledgements which will not be posted to eFile Status. What to Expect As previously announced in the CCH Software News issued on Monday, October 2, 2017, e-Filing allows federal returns and many state/city returns to be filed past the October 16, 2017, extended filing deadline. However, no Individual (federal or state) returns can be e-Filed during the shutdown period, except for California and Texas which we submit directly to the state. When the IRS opens for the 2017 tax year filing season, all federal returns and the state and city returns listed in our October 2, 2017, CCH Software News will be allowed to be electronically filed again. If you upload and release a return during the shutdown period, we will place the return in Paper Filing Required status. If you upload and hold a return calculated in 2017 during the shutdown period and release the return without recalculating in 2018 after the IRS opens for the new filing season, we will move your return into Stopped: Please Re-process on Latest Release. The following states/cities will stop accepting returns for 2016 when the shutdown occurs: Kentucky Michigan Cities filed on the Common Form Ohio Cities not filed on Form 37 City of Philadelphia Rhode Island Only 2017 returns will be allowed by the states/cities listed above when the season opens in 2018. Important This shutdown will also affect taxpayers who received a disaster relief extension to file. If the disaster extended due date falls within this shutdown time frame, you must do one of the following: Submit the returns electronically before the shutdown begins; or Hold the returns for export and release after the IRS reopens in January; or File them on paper after the shutdown. If filed on paper, applicable opt-out documentation may be necessary. Please consult the taxing authority guidelines on how to opt-out of electronic filing. Find answers to your questions in our Knowledge Base. Please feel free to Contact Us online if you have any questions. Sincerely, Wolters Kluwer If this email was forwarded to you, and you would like to subscribe to CCH Software News announcements, subscribe here.

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