ERO/Transmitter Training - cotaxaide.org

ERO/Transmitter Training

TY2016

Local Coordinator - ERO

NTC & NTTC Training – TY2016 2

● LC has the overall responsibility for a Site’s Operation.

● ERO is IRS term for who is responsible for filing tax returns

● At many AARP Foundation Tax-Aide sites the LC is also the ERO

● This presentation addresses the ERO portion of an LC’s responsibilities

Primary Duty


●Timely filing signed Federal and State tax returns after they have been quality reviewed by a second tax counselor and reviewed with the taxpayer(s).

Responsibilities


● Establish a process to insure all returns are promptly submitted

● Track status of all returns from creation to acceptance using Return Tags

● Receive & review return acknowledgments

● Ensure all Rejected returns are promptly corrected, re-submitted and accepted, or are converted to paper returns for the taxpayer to mail

Responsibilities (cont.)


● Report statistical accomplishments as required

● Answer questions and address anomalies that occur during return preparation and electronic filing

● Do not retain any taxpayer data unless required by the IRS or State law

Security of taxpayer data is everyone’s responsibility

Qualifications


●Certified as a AARP Foundation Tax-Aide Volunteer Counselor

●Proficient with TaxSlayer Pro Online

●Basic knowledge of computers, software, and site procedures

Follow Returns until Accepted


● Use Return Tags in TSO, or

● Use Paperless Tracking with TSO, or

● Use Activity Reporting & Quality Review Tracking Log, or

● All of the above (optional) Caution: Paper logs may not contain Taxpayer data, SSN, phone numbers or other personal information

Using a Tracking Log


● A tracking log is available on the Portal’s One Support Help Center in the Activity Reporting Section [Site Activity Log Form]

● The log may be used to track federal and state return status, questions asked, paper returns and amended returns

● Sites may modify the form to meet local needs

Note: Activity reporting section is LC’s responsibility

ERO Tracking Log


TSO Return Tags


● Tags are defined by the site Admin

● Users apply (or remove) a Tag to define return’s status

● Returns can be filtered according to the Tags applied to them

● Examples of tags: Hold for More Info, Amended Return, 8879 not signed, State only return, etc.

Paperless Tracking in TSO


● A return’s current status is automatically changed by TSO at each stage

● All returns of the same status can be grouped together

● Filter the client list by a specific status, or click on the Status column to sort the client list by status’s

State Returns


● Linked returns – TaxSlayer submits Federal and State

returns together. The State return is held by TaxSlayer

until the Federal Return is accepted, then it is

automatically sent to the State.

● Un-linked State Returns – On the last e-file screen you

can check a box to ”Send State Only”

E-file Procedure


● On Submission page: 1. Click the “Approved” box in the

Review Status section 2. Select the “Mark Complete” check

box 3. Select “Save and Transmit…”, or

“Save and Exit” See next 2 slides for illustration

E-filing before saving return


2

1 3*

*If 8879 is signed, check this box

E-filing closed return


● Log into TaxSlayer as user that includes e-file submission role

●Select “Transmissions” from the TaxSlayer welcome page

Illustrations follow -

E-filing closed returns (cont.)



Transmissions Page – Transmit Returns

1. Select each return to submit (or, “Check All”)

2. Click “Transmit selected return(s) to IRS”

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2 1


Transmissions Page

● “Transmissions” page contains all “complete” returns ready to transmit

● For rejected returns, click “Add Returns” to include them

1. Select returns to retransmit (check the box)

2. Click “Add Returns” to include in transmission

NTC & NTTC Training – TY2016

“Add Returns” Page

1

2

19


After Transmitting -

● After transmitting return(s), the “Tax Return Transmissions” page shows the number of returns submitted

● Click “Back” to return to the Welcome page


Client Status will Update

● Tax return status automatically changes after transmitting

Acknowledgements


● TSO changes return’s status as it is accepted or rejected

● Acknowledgement Reports also show status of returns

● Review reports for Rejected returns to be corrected and re-submitted

● Provide feedback to all Counselors

Acknowledgement Reports


●Select “Reports”

●View:

− “IRS Acknowledgements”

− “State Acknowledgements”

− “Validation Errors” (“MEF” errors)

− “Rejected Returns”

Reports Page


IRS Acknowledgements

All acknowledged returns are listed

with status

NTC & NTTC Training – TY2016

Accepted

Rejected

Description of Reject

25

Acknowledgements (cont)

●Review each acknowledged return − If accepted – Accepted and Date

shown in Status column − If rejected – Rejected and Date in

Status column and reason in Reject Code column


Acknowledgements (cont)

Print PDF for more information


State Returns & Validation Errors


●Follow the same procedure for

reviewing State Return and

Validation Error Reports to

identify returns that were not

Accepted.

Validation Errors

● Search for returns rejected by TaxSlayer processing center when checking acknowledgements

● Click Select on Validation Errors line for list

● Reason displayed in Help column


Rejected Returns


● Identify error and correct it

● New Form 8879 signatures if : − SSN or name changed, or − >$50 change in total income or AGI,

or − >$14 change in total tax, federal tax

withheld, refund or amount due

Rejected Return (cont.)


● Advise taxpayer of changes and provide a corrected copy

● If cannot be e-filed, convert to paper − The taxpayer must mail the return

● Provide feedback to Counselor − Note: TSO mail is secure

End of Season


• Deactivate Counselors at the end of the Tax Season

• Exceptions: •Administrator

• Selected Quality Reviewers

End of Season (cont.)


●Return AARP computers to custodian

●Return IRS computers to IRS Depot

●Safely store computers, printers and supplies until next season

ERO/Transmitter Training


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ERO/Transmitter Training - cotaxaide.org

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