I have two clients who I want to do without meeting them face to face. They will be mailing me copies of the documents I need. They will also be completing my (courtesy of TTB) Client Organizer and I will conduct a thorough telephone interview with each. However, I would like to efile the returns with practitioner pins the same as if they were with me in the body. Can I do this, and if so, how? I was thinking of a power of attorney which btw I do have in my software and would love to just efile but I wonder if that is the way or if I should print the form and mail it in to the appropriate address. Or maybe clients I do by mail can't efile. Please advise.
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Clients by mail
I have done them this way but the first time I do someone's return I like to meet them face to face. You could do the return, mail it to them, once they have looked it over sign the 8879 mail it back to you with a check and you e-file it. I have clients I haven't seen in a few years we do everything by mail and phone. -
mail
I have several clients that I never see anymore. Usually we have met before, but not always. Phone, email, postal mail... But I won't efile without a physical signature on the form in my hands. I can send them preliminary copies of a tax return as pdf for their review and the can scan or fax me the 8879. Then I will follow up with paper copies of complete tax return.Comment
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I have several snowbirds that I do by mail. I will mail their completed returns along with a bill and the 8879 for them to sign and mail back to me. When the bill is paid and the 8879 comes back signed, I will transmit the return. BTW, I don't think I would be comfortable doing any new client this way.Comment
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Clients by mail
I've got two or three of these, but they mail me their stuff and I fix it up as a paper return, mail it back to them ready for a signature, and they send me a check (they're good for it).
Still, if they or I wanted to efile instead, can they fax a signed 8879 back to me? Anybody here know for sure if IRS permits faxed 8879s?Last edited by Black Bart; 01-23-2008, 07:55 AM.Comment
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The instructions on the form specifically allow fax
From the back of the form ...Anybody here know for sure if IRS permits faxed 8879s?
" and (e) to return the completed Form 8879 to the ERO by hand delivery, U.S. mail, private delivery service, or fax."Comment
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Can an emailed or faxed copy of the original W-2 be used? Technically that would be a copy?Originally posted by clr View PostComment
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What is the cite that W-2's have to be originals?Comment
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Pub 1345
on page 30 of Pub 1345 "While income tax returns may be prepared using documentation of income and federal tax withholding, the return must not be electronically filed prior to the ERO's receipt of the related Form W-2, W-2G or 1099R."Originally posted by iratax View PostComment
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I don't think that means "original". I work with copies all the time............Pay stubs or broker statements NO.Originally posted by clr View PostThis post is for discussion purposes only and should be verified with other sources before actual use.
Many times I post additional info on the post, Click on "message board" for updated content.Comment
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I've got clients I've never met, except by phone. I send out the returns by PDF or mail. The clients I don't know well, I have pay up front, before I send the return, by having them send a check with the 8879. the ones I trust I'll file without having them pay. they can fax it in and send the check later. BUT I don't file without the 8879.Comment
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I'm with joan and winnie. Lots of absentee clients who work with e-mail and fax. They keep originals of W-2s, 1099s, etc. and I send return to them via pdf file (or snail mail if they insist). All you need is the faxed 8879.Comment
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How do you know who your talking to, if you've never met them. 8879 instructions indicate "You should confirm the identity of the taxpayer(s)". Let's hope they don't live in Nigeria.Comment
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While I'll send originals if I've got them,
it's really no big deal at all to send other copies. IRS will take just about anything with the return -- if you only have the employee's "C" copy, they' ll take that, or the state's copy 2, or even the copy 1 that should have been mailed with the state withholding summary. And, they'll accept photocopies of any/all of the preceding.Originally posted by clr View Post
I've sent bushels of them; none ever turned down -- they simply don't have the time to nitpick about such non-issues as an obviously "correct" copy.Comment
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