Third party designee

[Marie]

On another forum, they talked about the third party designee "preparer" not valid. We have to put in our name and PIN, etc. I checked my returns,and "preparer" is still being printed. Has anyone else heard this? And is there a place in the software to get my name put in the designee place?

[Booger]

On another forum, they talked about the third party designee "preparer" not valid. We have to put in our name and PIN, etc. I checked my returns,and "preparer" is still being printed. Has anyone else heard this? And is there a place in the software to get my name put in the designee place?

Marie, you're still allowed to put "Preparer" on the third party designee line. You DO NOT have to put

your name and PIN. The software is doing it correctly.

Booger

[chuck]

On another forum, they talked about the third party designee "preparer" not valid. We have to put in our name and PIN, etc. I checked my returns,and "preparer" is still being printed. Has anyone else heard this? And is there a place in the software to get my name put in the designee place?

It is my belief that preparer is what should appear there. You could modify page 2 1040 and type in the info you want.

[Don in Upstate NY]

It is my belief that preparer is what should appear there. You could modify page 2 1040 and type in the info you want.

You might want to take a look at the 1040 instructions for this year, page 75. They dropped the whole thing about entering "preparer", and now say to enter name, phone, PIN, etc.

[i was the one who brought it up on the other forum after getting a fatal NY diagnostic for using "PREPARER". So I checked the federal and NY instructions and found that they had changed!]

[Cathy]

You might want to take a look at the 1040 instructions for this year, page 75. They dropped the whole thing about entering "preparer", and now say to enter name, phone, PIN, etc.

[i was the one who brought it up on the other forum after getting a fatal NY diagnostic for using "PREPARER". So I checked the federal and NY instructions and found that they had changed!]

Thanks, Don!

The instructions definitely are different in 2009 than in 2008. I could just hear an agent telling me next year that the 1040 was not completed properly for a 3rd party designee. I changed the master form so he/she won't get that satisfaction!

Cathy

[kcjenkins]

Don, I hope you put that info in the Suggestion Box at MyATX, so the programmers can correct it. Although it is a stupid rule change, since if you put Preparer there they merely have to look down a line to see the same info.

[Booger]

Gee, the returns that I already e-filed went through smoothly with "PREPARER" as the 3rd party

designee. If the IRS wants an actual name, phone number, and PIN on the line, why weren't they rejected?

Will start filling in the lines with the requested info.

Booger

[Don in Upstate NY]

Don, I hope you put that info in the Suggestion Box at MyATX, so the programmers can correct it. Although it is a stupid rule change, since if you put Preparer there they merely have to look down a line to see the same info.

I confess - I'm not using ATX this season. I'm using the other software produced by CCH Small Firm Services. :mellow:

[JohnH]

I always set up the program to dutifully fill in the info, but in thinking back over the years I can't recall more than a couple of times I've ever had to rely upon the third-party designation to speak with IRS. If a call is necessary, I usually just conference the client in on the call and we handle whatever the issue might be. Anything coming up in the first year can usually be handled with the client involved, and there's little risk in having them participate in the call in this type of situation.

[jasdlm]

I thought I changed the Master Form, but it's not coming through on my returns. Also, the paid preparer info prints on new returns, but not on existing clients. I have to go to 'preparer manager' for every return and enter the info. Aaargh! What am I missing???

[Joel]

Changes to the master form will only apply to new returns or newly rolled over returns.

[jasdlm]

Thanks, Joel. What a drag. Anyway to 'unroll' the returns and re-roll them? Unfortunately, the first thing I did after I loaded 2009 software was rollover all 2008 returns.

[Booger]

OK, tried to "Customize" the 1040 so that the program will input the third party designee automatically

on all new returns. When I finished, I rolled over a 2008 return to 2009. The "name" field was filled in,

but the phone number and the 5 digit PIN wasn't. I DID fill in those spaces when I customized the 1040.

Anybody know what I could have possibly done wrong?

Perplexed Booger

[Cathy]

Thanks, Joel. What a drag. Anyway to 'unroll' the returns and re-roll them? Unfortunately, the first thing I did after I loaded 2009 software was rollover all 2008 returns.

jasdlm,

Simply delete the returns rollovered prematurely....and roll over again...or as needed. I like to roll over ONLY after a client has scheduled an appointment. That way, I can quickly go back to the returns "not rolled over" and see who is left to schedule.

Cathy

[Cathy]

OK, tried to "Customize" the 1040 so that the program will input the third party designee automatically

on all new returns. When I finished, I rolled over a 2008 return to 2009. The "name" field was filled in,

but the phone number and the 5 digit PIN wasn't. I DID fill in those spaces when I customized the 1040.

Anybody know what I could have possibly done wrong?

Perplexed Booger

Booger,

Whatever you did "wrong", I did also. However, ALL of the information does appear correctly on NEW returns.....only the name appears on returns rolled over (after changes made to master form).

Cathy

[Booger]

Booger,

Whatever you did "wrong", I did also. However, ALL of the information does appear correctly on NEW returns.....only the name appears on returns rolled over (after changes made to master form).

Cathy

Thanks for your reply, Cathy. Wonder why just the name shows up on rolled over returns??

Booger

[jasdlm]

Thanks, Cathy. I'll do exactly that.

[Booger]

I have another issue with the entire "third party designee" line. Have any of you EVER had the IRS talk

to you directly about a client's return WITHOUT a POA? I never had, even after explaining that the "third

party designee" line was properly filled out with my info.

Booger

[bstaxes]

Trying to add the pin and I use a zip code that has a leading zero. The master is only picking up the last 4 digits of the zip. Is there anyway to have the leading zero print? Or do I have to change the pin to something I won't remember?

[Don in Upstate NY]

Trying to add the pin and I use a zip code that has a leading zero. The master is only picking up the last 4 digits of the zip. Is there anyway to have the leading zero print? Or do I have to change the pin to something I won't remember?

Well, you could move :scratch_head:

[bstaxes]

I guess I could move but that would really be a lot of work. I also use that zip on the preparer pin for e-filing. If I change that pin (or my address) wouldn't that present problems when I e-file using a different pin??? I still like 'preparer' in that box.

[jasdlm]

I have another issue with the entire "third party designee" line. Have any of you EVER had the IRS talk

to you directly about a client's return WITHOUT a POA? I never had, even after explaining that the "third

party designee" line was properly filled out with my info.

Booger

***

I have talked to the IRS several times based on the 'third party designee' line. Are you calling practitioner priority line when you call?

[jasdlm]

Booger - one more thing . . . I think it's only good for 1 year.

[kcjenkins]

Trying to add the pin and I use a zip code that has a leading zero. The master is only picking up the last 4 digits of the zip. Is there anyway to have the leading zero print? Or do I have to change the pin to something I won't remember?

Well, how about just using a 1 in place of the zero, that should not be hard to remember.

[kcjenkins]

I have another issue with the entire "third party designee" line. Have any of you EVER had the IRS talk to you directly about a client's return WITHOUT a POA? I never had, even after explaining that the "third party designee" line was properly filled out with my info.

Booger

Well, the usual problem there is that the 3rd party thing is only for them to call you, plus it's only good for a year, and many of the problems that arise you don't get notified until the second year. But the main one is the first I mentioned, it's basically just for THEM, if they have a question during the processing of the return.