3917

[#1]

The following diagnostic is generating:

The Third Party Designee's PIN is missing or invalid. The Designee's PIN must be five numeric digits. In client information verify the Third Party Designee assigned. Verify the preparer has a PIN 1. On the Settings menu, click Options. 2. Click the Preparers tab. 3. Verify the preparer's PIN.

Solution:

If you have chosen YES to Allow Designee/IRS Discussion in Settings, Options, Tax Return, Federal Tax Options, then you must have a preparer or designee identified on Screen 1, Client Information as well as an ERO PIN entered in your user options:

• Go to Screen 1, Client Information.
• Scroll down to the Miscellaneous Info section.
• Select the Preparer's name from Preparer drop down menu.

To verify the ERO PIN has been entered:

• Go to Settings>Options>Preparers tab
• Click on the Preparer Name and select Modify.
• Enter the "ERO PIN" (The ERO PIN can be any five-digit number (except all zeros). This PIN will be used for all clients assigned to this preparer and will print on Form 1040, page 2, Third Party Designee PIN.).
• Select OK to save the options.

Note: You can enter a different PIN as a third-party Designee PIN if desired, but it MUST be different that the pin chosen as the ERO PIN. Also, in previous years if the third party designee was the preparer the IRS allowed the word "Preparer" to be entered in place of filing out all details in the third party designee section.