8867 signature

[oceanlovin'ea]

I think it was a line added by software companies. Since TaxslayerPro is a company that came from tax preparers they probably thought this was a good idea as it makes the client know they are responsible for the information on the form. I liked having them sign it.

I looked at prior year IRS forms and the line isn't there. The instructions start at the end of the form.

Linda, EA

[DonPriebe]

...

I looked at prior year IRS forms and the line isn't there. The instructions start at the end of the form.

Correct. The IRS DVD of all forms shows seven versions of the 8867, starting with the December 1998 version. None of them have signature lines.

[Jesse]

Are you sure Form 8667 (with or without a signature line) even existed in 2006?

(I could not easily find any such form with a quick search....)

There was at that time a Schedule EIC, but even it did not have any signature lines.

http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-prior/p596--2006.pdf

I am now very confused!!!

FE

I think the original question being posed here, and the responses, are related to the presence of a taxpayer signature line on the Form 8867.

So far I have been unsuccessful in finding any such location, on the Form 8867 (or equivalent for prior years?), for a taxpayer to sign said form.

Perhaps I just misread the posts?

FE

Senility must be settling in.

I have NEVER seen an IRS Form 8867 with a "signature line" on it, including tax year 2011.

If anyone has a link/PDF copy showing an IRS form with such, I would love to see it. This would include any "only a few years since signature was taken off" issues.

I went back several years through my old software, and all I could find was Form 8867 (no signature line) for the few most recent years and then Schedule EIC (similar also with no signature lines) for a few years prior.

The somewhat related Form 8862 does seem to have been around for a fairly long time.

I guess once again I should be grateful I prepare very few EITC returns.....

FE

I wouldn't waste any more time looking for that official IRS form or hold your breath waiting for someone to send you a link because an "official" Form 8867 with a signature line apparently does not exist. Certain software added the signature line to the "official" Form 8867, apparently for the convenience of the preparer. You are correct the official IRS Form 8867 did not have a signature line.

[ToledoEd]

We use Drake software and they still have a signature line on the bottom of page 3. I never looked at the IRS website for the form until now and see that there is not a signiture line on the official form, but I like having the clients sign the form after I go over it with them. I also have them sign the Drake EIC Due Diligence worksheets. That way the IRS can see that the client did have knowledge of what went on their return when kids were claimed for EIC.

[ChEAr$]

We use Drake software and they still have a signature line on the bottom of page 3. I never looked at the IRS website for the form until now and see that there is not a signiture line on the official form, but I like having the clients sign the form after I go over it with them. I also have them sign the Drake EIC Due Diligence worksheets. That way the IRS can see that the client did have knowledge of what went on their return when kids were claimed for EIC.

Full concurrence here with the idea of having client sign bottom of the third page of form 8867 for me to keep in my records. With that darned $500 potential fine sitting there, it's good insurance.

No, I'm not paranoid. Just makes good sense to be able to cover your ***.... uh..... assets.

[David1980]

Some software puts a signature line on the 8867. Personally, I think they shouldn't get their forms approved because it causes confusion, as seen here. It looks like an official form, it comes from your tax software, therefore it must be the case that a signature is required for form 8867. That's a tough argument to get into and some people will refuse to believe their software did it not the IRS.

As far as the usefulness of a signature on the 8867, if the 8867 alone was enough documentation on its own to avoid the $500 penalty I could see it having purpose. But it isn't, if the only thing you keep is a copy of the 8867 the IRS can say you failed to ask reasonable questions and fine you the $500, signed or no. So you end up needing to keep something else as well, and then if the signature isn't on that something else can you really prove anything? No, you end up having the taxpayer sign that something else anyway, so what was the purpose of the software's signature line on the 8867.