PTIN Renewal Extension?

[DonPriebe]

I truly believe that if the IRS computer crashes on 12/26 and is down until the third week of February the service will do and should do nothing to alter its determination that as of 1/1/11 one must have a PTIN to sign a return as paid preparer.

As of today, many of the provisions that applied to 2009 returns - adjustments for educational and educator expenses, deductibility of sales tax in lieu of state income tax, limited addition of property tax to the standard deduction, personal credits against the AMT, etc. - have expired. With congress somewhat divided on many issues, does anyone want to start a pool on when the IRS will be able to process or accept tax returns in 2010?

[Uncle]

Not so

It should take ten minutes if someone does it this coming week but then if you do encounter problems there will be time to call and/or write to resolve the problem.

Well.... I have put in over 5 hours on the system already, including wait time (twice) on tech support. I have been told each time that there is no way for the system to recognize me as I am the secondary taxpayer on my MFJ returns. I filed on paper right away, but I am told that the IRS has not been able to start processing the >10,000 paper applications they have already received and likely will not until at least January.

If you think it will take "ten minutes if someone does it this coming week" I have a fine bridge to sell you.

[dkss]

registered last week

I was apprehensive about using the online registration process after reading through the problems. I sat down last week when I had many hours to waste, if needed. I was done in about 15 minutes. No problem getting original password email (yahoo account). No problem with the fact that I am listed second on a MFJ return. In the end, I was assigned my original PTIN. I wouldn't want to wait until the last moment, because what if there is a problem??? I wouldn't want to have to deal with it when I am trying to prepare for the tax season.

[joanmcq]

My coworker had the 'second on the tax return' problem because her last name is not the same as her husband's (hers is hyphenated). Could that be your problem, Uncle?

[MLINDER42]

ptin extentsion

Did my employees yesterday there are 16 of us 13 went good myself and 2 others it said they could not find returns.I called the PTIN hot line they were of no help sending in the checks today.Where did you hear that they were not processing the mail ins?

[94nole]

no probs here either...had my number since, I think, 2000. May have been 2001.

[erchess]

Uncle

Chris I feel for you man and I don't know what to suggest. I still think that the IRS will and should reject returns where the paid preparer does not have and put on the return a valid PTIN and should also sanction preparers who do not sign returns. In my book, if this catch - 22 ends up costing you money you have a valid suit against the IRS and good luck to you.

[rjholmes]

Got mine yesterday

After reading about all the problems, I broke down and tried it yesterday. I am the secondary taxpayer on our MFJ return, and it recognized me right away. The instructions do say that the last return should have been filed at least 6 weeks in order for the program to recognize it. Otherwise, use the previous year. I don't know if that was a problem earlier with some who had just filed and it was different from the previous year. I got the same PTIN immediately. Some things were a little confusing, you have to read very carefully, but it did not take long at all.

[Bonnie]

Expiration

For those of you who have renewed already, is your expiration date one year exactly from the date you renewed?

[zeros]

One Year From Enrollment Date

I think it is 1 year from date you renewed. I think this will be changed.

[spanel]

For those of you who have renewed already, is your expiration date one year exactly from the date you renewed?

Its one year from the last day of the month you renewed.


chris

[Lion]

Last Name Issue

From IRS.gov

***Attention joint filers with different last names. Please wait until December 6, 2010, to submit a PTIN application if: your last return was married filing jointly, you were the secondary spouse on the return, and you have a different last name than your spouse. We are addressing a system issue that has prevented joint filers with different last names from getting their PTIN. We apologize for any inconvenience.***

[Bonnie]

[***Attention joint filers with different last names. Please wait until December 6, 2010,

Wow thanks so much for this advice. I was about to submit my application tomorrow, as I've been waiting for Dec to do it. But I did file MFJ and do have same last name as my husband but he is a SR which I understand could be a problem. So guess I'll just wait a little longer.

[S T]

Not alone

Bonnie, you are not alone

I was already waiting until Dec 1 to try to file online -

So guess we wait until Dec 6, since there is a notice that there is a "software glitch" I don't have any Jr or Sr on my husband's name, but it is spelled weird and I am listed as a joint filer, so might "sail" right through - Guess I will just give them a few extra days to work it out to be sure.

Besides, I still have to "dig" through some record keeping to see if I can find my original PTIN application - Ugh!

Sandy

[erchess]

Don's Pool

As of today, many of the provisions that applied to 2009 returns - adjustments for educational and educator expenses, deductibility of sales tax in lieu of state income tax, limited addition of property tax to the standard deduction, personal credits against the AMT, etc. - have expired. With congress somewhat divided on many issues, does anyone want to start a pool on when the IRS will be able to process or accept tax returns in 2010?

Remember that all forms and instructions will be written before 1/1 based on the best information someone has at the time of writing. Those that appear likely to change won't be released or not released in final form and those that do in fact change will have changes implemented whether or not an earlier version has been put out.

I think the IRS will accept (not process but accept) mail in returns postmarked no earlier than 1/1 and begin processing paper returns and accepting e-filed returns by 1/15 and possibly earlier. I simply don't believe that the situation will be so unsettled that no imaginable return can be completed and processed on the normal schedule. If there are some returns the IRS cannot process starting on the usual schedule they will all the more gratefully accept any they can process.

Now that said, it seems likely that there will be forms the service cannot have ready by the normal time. Where the law is not final now but becomes final before Christmas it should be possible to process paper and e-file by 2/15. Where things change in the new year it may literally be necessary to extend the deadline. I mean, there would be massive complaints (despite the possibility of extensions) if the forms and instructions for a given return were not available a month before that return was due to be filed.

I guess I just see two relevant political realities and as we know when the POTUS and members of Congress speak the IRS listens attentively because all of them know which side of their bread has the butter on it.

1. The EIC Crowd will complain in large numbers to the politicians about any change in the speed with which refunds are available and these people do vote in large numbers thus offsetting their inability to make significant contributions.

2. On the other hand the rest of the tax filing public does not care as much if the process is slower than usual. But they want a month or more between their filing deadline and the earliest date it is possible to finish their returns. This group is large and it includes all the heavy donors as well as a good many voters so it too has clout.