Last Day to Efile 2012 returns

[beck]

Hello Everyone. I just picked up a few clients that need to file their 2012 returns (yup...they know they are late). I cannot find what the last date to efile returns for 2012. Probably looking in the wrong place. Help?

Thanks,
Beck

[TaxGuyBill]

Although the IRS allows e-filing for 3 years, it is COMPLETELY dependent on your software provider.

For ProSeries, you can continue to e-file after October 31 IF you already bought the 2013 software.
I THINK it is similar with Lacerte, but I don't know about other software.

You should contact your software support and ask them.

[appelman]

According to TaxAct...

who is my provider, the IRS will let you e-file 1040's until November 15, and then they will close down while they tool up for the next season, reopening in January. I'm not sure if that applies to entity returns, which I have always thought you could e-file all year round. California won't let you e-file after October 15, and they don't do prior year e-file at all. I don't know about other states.

[beck]

who is my provider, the IRS will let you e-file 1040's until November 15, and then they will close down while they tool up for the next season, reopening in January. I'm not sure if that applies to entity returns, which I have always thought you could e-file all year round. California won't let you e-file after October 15, and they don't do prior year e-file at all. I don't know about other states.

Thx Appelman! I use TaxAct and I'm in California. Now, I'll see if those clients will get back to me with paperwork and signature by the 15th.

Beck

[appelman]

Revised cut-off date

I just refreshed my memory on this. The IRS cut-off date is November 23; TaxAct wants e-files in by the end of the day November 22.

[John of PA]

Drake is Efiling as long as IRS lets them. I just Efiled a return and it was fine. According to Drake it's up to IRS, Drake will keep Efilingit as long as IRS accepts the returns.

[Jiggers]

Gee, it would be better if we had better information from our software instead of "...as long as the IRS lets us...."

I sometimes mail a return to the client, with the e-file authorization. He signs and returns to me for e-filing.

I can just see if sometime in the next week or so, I will have a late return ready to e-file. I will mail to my client, with the 8879 to be signed and return.

He signs, returns to me, and I e-file the return. Only to have it rejected, requiring a paper return because e-filing isn't allowed after some unknown date.

I then have to prepare a paper return and mail to the client, making me look stupid. Though I explain that it is the IRS, who is he going to fault?

[David1980]

I've seen the November 23rd date a couple places so it seems as likely as anything. The IRS website has the last day as "TBD" on their MEF due dates calendar: http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-utl/Tax_Y..._Due_Dates.pdf

[John of PA]

How can the software company determin how long we can Efile? They don't know, only IRS knows how long they can accept returns before they shut down the system for the filing year. TSo to me it is totally accepteable for Drake to say "as long as IRS accepts the returns". To be able to file as long as IRS is accepting returns is good news. Frankly I don't think IRS really knows when they are cutting it off (thus neither can Drake), it is sort of an open ended thing with a deadline they are only estimating, it depends how things go. IRS certainly does not want to use resources (IT people) to keep 2012 going on very little volumn when these people can be helping with the hugh task of getting the 2013 beta testing up and running.

[ATSMAN]

I believe IRS does post (quick alerts) the last date to e-file and software transmitters like Drake have that information. I think this year the IRS cutoff is Nov 23.

If I take a late filer for some reason in November, I will paper file generally because there are issues why they were late to begin with and they missed the extension deadline. Seldom do I run into a taxpayer who was suppose to get a refund forgetting to file their return (including teenagers who had a few bucks witheld and will get 100% refunded).