Signing long distance

[Possi]

What is the best way to have your clients sign the 8879 when they cannot come into your office? Is there an affordable electronic signature we are allowed to use?

[Rapid Robert]

What is the best way to have your clients sign the 8879 when they cannot come into your office? Is there an affordable electronic signature we are allowed to use?

With a pen. Yes.

What you didn't ask, was how to get the 8879 to you if they can't hand deliver it? Either US Mail, fax, or scan-and-upload PDF. Also, the ability to e-sign 8879 was introduced last filing season, you software vendor should provide more details, might cost an extra $5. There is plenty of info about eSignature in the IRS pubs and web site.

[TAXNJ]

Some good

What is the best way to have your clients sign the 8879 when they cannot come into your office? Is there an affordable electronic signature we are allowed to use?

There are some very good companies offering the electronic service of emailing (sending) to client, how client electronically signs and returns to you. But make sure you use a company with experience and very protective encryption. It could be expensive for just one client.

[Possi]

[QUOTE=Rapid Robert;176748]With a pen. Yes.

What you didn't ask, was how to get the 8879 to you if they can't hand deliver it? QUOTE]

Well, I thought that was what I was asking.

thanks!

[Possi]

lots of LD clients

There are some very good companies offering the electronic service of emailing (sending) to client, how client electronically signs and returns to you. But make sure you use a company with experience and very protective encryption. It could be expensive for just one client.

This is a military community and I have maybe 75 of these clients... maybe more. We have always used the old fashioned way where they print it and send it back to me. It is a struggle for some of those in the sandbox or on a ship.

I wonder what some other preparers have used, that is safe, effective and affordable?

[TAXNJ]

Would think

This is a military community and I have maybe 75 of these clients... maybe more. We have always used the old fashioned way where they print it and send it back to me. It is a struggle for some of those in the sandbox or on a ship.

I wonder what some other preparers have used, that is safe, effective and affordable?

Would think they would have access to email when on a ship, etc?

If not, sounds like what you call the "old fashioned way" or maybe do not completely understand if you client is on the military base, ship, etc.

[Possi]

printing and scanning

Would think they would have access to email when on a ship, etc?

If not, sounds like what you call the "old fashioned way" or maybe do not completely understand if you client is on the military base, ship, etc.

They don't always have access to print, scan, and email it back. They have access to email, though. Most of the time, anyway.

[TaxGuyBill]

Your software provider may have electronic signatures available (for a fee) with a company such as DocuSign.

I use ProSeries, and they have that option (I think it is $5 per 8879).

[TAXNJ]

Ok

They don't always have access to print, scan, and email it back. They have access to email, though. Most of the time, anyway.

OK. Did you check with companies that offer "electronic signatures" for tax forms?

If not, then check with companies offering "electronic signatures" for tax forms along with non signature tax forms that offer the services you may need for the clients you describe and that have access to email. You may find that helpful.

Otherwise, you may have to make personal visits as long as you have the latest portable equipment and secured wifi. IF the US mail, UPS, FEDEX. And if none of that works for you than consider only clients that meets you services.

[David1980]

Fax or mail.

Yes, other electronic signature methods exist. If you choose to use an alternate method be sure to review the Electronic Signature Guidance for Forms 8878 and 8879 in Publication 1345.

Identity Verification
The software used for the electronic signature process may use credit records, also known as credit reports, to verify the taxpayer’s identity. Identity verification may consist of a record check with a credit reporting company. A credit reporting company uses information from the taxpayer's credit report to generate knowledge based authentication questions. This action may create an entry on the credit report called a “soft inquiry”.

Getting the signature is the easy part with those alternate methods. It's the identity verification requirement that is harder. And after three failed attempts you're back to a regular signature.

So, I like fax or mail myself.

[MariaR08]

Check out DocuSign or Adobe's version, e-Sign. I believe Adobe's version is WAY cheaper than DocuSign and if I'm not mistaken I think it's like $20 for the year, something like that.

[Y2KEA]

If the client is able to print the sig forms I tell them to sign the forms then take pic with their cell phone then email or text them to me.

[Lion]

CCH has eSign for about $3. Check with your software company.

[David1980]

CCH has eSign for about $3. Check with your software company.

Both CCH's offering and also Intuit's look to include identity verification against knowledge based authentication (that whole validating identity against "the applicable agency or institution or through credit bureaus or similar databases" in pub 1345.) Makes them a good deal.

I don't know what all tax software offers remote signatures but one thing for sure I'd ask my software company before relying on it is that their offering does include the KBA part of the IRS requirement. Otherwise you're just getting a signature and you still need to validate the identity somehow.

Check out DocuSign or Adobe's version, e-Sign. I believe Adobe's version is WAY cheaper than DocuSign and if I'm not mistaken I think it's like $20 for the year, something like that.

With both DocuSign and Adobe eSign services you need to make sure you're satisfying the identity verification requirement. KBA identity verification is an additional fee for both.

DocuSign has DocuSign ID Check "ID Check is a per-use, fee-based service add-in to DocuSign" - the pricing is not listed on their site. https://www.docusign.com/partner/doc...risk-solutions

Adobe also has a KBA feature. It is also an additional charge (their service comparison shows "$"). I didn't locate the pricing for it.

With DocuSign / Adobe eSign you would need to make sure the KBA has the right number of attempts to get it right. If the taxpayer fails the knowledge based authentication questions after three attempts, then the ERO must obtain a handwritten signature. So if either of those products let the taxpayer have five attempts for example that would be a problem. (Possibly it's user configured?)

Obviously CCH and Intuit's offering is more specific to tax preparation so I would expect them to permit no more than 3 attempts.

[TAXNJ]

Important

Both CCH's offering and also Intuit's look to include identity verification against knowledge based authentication (that whole validating identity against "the applicable agency or institution or through credit bureaus or similar databases" in pub 1345.) Makes them a good deal.

I don't know what all tax software offers remote signatures but one thing for sure I'd ask my software company before relying on it is that their offering does include the KBA part of the IRS requirement. Otherwise you're just getting a signature and you still need to validate the identity somehow.



With both DocuSign and Adobe eSign services you need to make sure you're satisfying the identity verification requirement. KBA identity verification is an additional fee for both.

DocuSign has DocuSign ID Check "ID Check is a per-use, fee-based service add-in to DocuSign" - the pricing is not listed on their site. https://www.docusign.com/partner/doc...risk-solutions

Adobe also has a KBA feature. It is also an additional charge (their service comparison shows "$"). I didn't locate the pricing for it.

With DocuSign / Adobe eSign you would need to make sure the KBA has the right number of attempts to get it right. If the taxpayer fails the knowledge based authentication questions after three attempts, then the ERO must obtain a handwritten signature. So if either of those products let the taxpayer have five attempts for example that would be a problem. (Possibly it's user configured?)

Obviously CCH and Intuit's offering is more specific to tax preparation so I would expect them to permit no more than 3 attempts.

Important and well said. Your point of satisfying the IRS requirements is key and worth knowing especially with tax preparation. In addition to CCH and Intuit there are more companies offering specific to tax preparation e signature.