Bye Bye 2011, Hello 2012

[Questionguy101]

The real end of year 2011...to the tax practitioners...

[BOB W]

Waiting on my last 8879 to be faxed to me. It is 7:23 pm est.

[Y2KEA]

Finally left the office. Sitting at home waiting for my Australian client to give me the go ahead for direct debit on the fed balance due. Then I will xmit. Have 2 other clients & still waiting for info. Doesn't matter on them. They get refunds. They just pay more for paper returns. I'm on PDT. (The time zone, not the meds.)

[Lion]

We can e-file MEF returns until something like 23 November. Of course, they'll still be late. Can't e-file Legacy returns after 11:59 p.m. tonight, though.

[S T]

My software suggested (actually I think required) any Legacy efiles be submitted by 11AM at the Efile Provider Center (software) but seems like I still have until 10/19 to also submit, not timely of course - after 10/19 Legacy shuts down, and only MeF, which also won't be timely, but can be electronically efiled.

What is up with the Legacy files for 2011 - and filing by 11 AM on 10/15/2012 - I have always been under the impression that efiles could be submitted up to midnight (Efile Provider-Software Center) say on 4/15 or 10/15.

This was a way HUGE effort for me today - to have date/time stamps - the 6 returns I efiled - 5 were "tagged" as Legacy (when submitted - automatically by computer software), and only 1 was MeF. I was scrambling to have signature forms prior to the 11AM time frame.

And I am still waiting for the associated State "Piggyback" returns

IRS just needs to give us some leeway while they "sort out" their system.

First time in forever, that I have not been completing returns and efiling until the actual "drop dead" deadline hour on/aboutt 10/15!

I am going to not do this agiain, if I can help it, and issue notices next filing season, that I need all information received so I can efile prior to 10/1/XXXX

I need some much needed sleep as I am sure "many" of us do tonight!

Sandy

[oceanlovin'ea]

What is the difference between Legacy and MeF? How do you know how your return goes? I saw this email and was confused.

I use TaxslayerPro software. All my returns are from one state that I am doing this late.

Linda EA

[Lion]

I think I had a morning, sometime about 11 a.m., deadline for Legacy efiles also. Something about transmitting to the IRS soon enough that the states could also transmit and acknowledge back before the cutoff. I know Legacy returns can be resubmitted if rejected for a few days, but can new returns be e-filed during these few days if Legacy?

Legacy is IRS's old computer program/system that takes all forms and schedules that could ever be efiled. MEF is Modernized Electronic Filing or a similar acronym for the IRS's new computer system. For 2010 it took only a handful of forms, so most of my clients went Legacy and only a few (and extensions) went MEF. For 2011 MEF takes most forms, so almost all of mine went MEF. MEF has been taking entity returns for a few years and can take current plus two prior years of biz returns. You can attach .pdf files to a MEF efile.

I have some clients that dropped off late enough that I told them I wasn't preparing their returns until after 15 October, and some that haven't dropped off yet. I hope they'll all be MEF so I can still efile. My software puts a MEF icon when I export to efile so I know how it's going; no icon if Legacy.