How do you handle short year returns........

[LCP]

.... that are ready to be prepped before the forms are ready?

Do you just wait no matter how anxious the client is?

...... or do you use the prior year forms ??

[Burke]

Assume you are talking about entity returns? Those have a line at the top where you enter the beginning and ending dates of the tax year if different from the calendar year. So you can use the prior year's forms if the filing deadline is before the end of the current calendar year. Individual returns of course are all calendar year filers. If the entity filing deadline is not until after 1/1/11, I would wait and use the new forms. If I use the prior year forms, I usually notify the K-1 recipients to make sure it goes on their proper year's return, and not to be confused by the year shown in bold print at the top. Note the fiscal year info.