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Fiduciary Name Control reject

kedaniels
Level 2

Just had a fiduciary return reject with a name control match error. This return has been filed for years electronically and never had an issue. Checked name control and it hasn't changed. I filed a few other fiduciary return earlier this month and they went through fine. This one continued to reject.

Just talked to a friend using ProSeries and she had the same issue with 3 of her fiduciary returns this week.

Anyone else encountering this error? Lacerte said to call the IRS. Hoping to find help here before waiting on hold forever.

32 Comments 32
sjrcpa
Level 15

Lots of people are getting it this year.

Check what name control you are using.

If you have the John Jones Irrevocable Trust, the name control should be JONE.

If you have the EIN letter the name control should be on it.

On another forum, one person suggested checking the Name Change box to get it to efile.

The more I know, the more I don't know.
AndresVTB
Level 4

Yes, we've received way more than usual this year. Check HERE for guidelines on how to figure out the name control. Double-check your EIN letter (if you have it) to make sure you have the name correct. I've had to brute force find a few already.

kedaniels
Level 2

We don't have the original IRS letter as we got this return from another CPA about 10 years ago... and never had a problem until this year. Name control appears the same in 2020 and 2021. Whey you say you had to "brute force" it, what did you do? I'm willing to try anything to get this to work. 

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kedaniels
Level 2

Checking the name change box didn't work. This is so frustrating.

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AndresVTB
Level 4

I kept guessing using the guidelines, one took 6-7 different attempts until I guessed the correct name control. 

JJV
Level 3

I just had this same issue with ProSeries, identical to yours.  Rejected 104 e-filed for years never a problem.

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JJV
Level 3

The name control is auto-filled in ProSeries professional, just as it has with every e-filing over the past 6 years.  Something is wrong here.

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JJV
Level 3

I have the SS-4 letter from IRS with the EIN on it for the trust coming from the client shortly. 

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JJV
Level 3

Rejected Form 1041

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sjrcpa
Level 15

IRS changed something in their system this year. All the incidents I have heard of involved prior years successful efiling with the prior name control.

And it involves multiple tax prep softwares. So we can't blame Intuit for this one.

The more I know, the more I don't know.
safcpa
Level 3

I had the same thing and actually got through to the efile help desk and they said that they changed the way it works, would have been nice to know.

Are you using the first 4 letters of the first name of the trust?

If not I would try tha

Drphibes
Level 7

I've had 3 trusts I've been e-filing forever have this problem but figured the name control out. However, I have one now that started in 2014 where I've have the name control on the SS-4 and it is not working.  Will have to call the IRS on this one.

JJV
Level 3

Thank you for the update.  If there is a known issue doesn't it help to notify the users?  The ProSeries Professional news and updates is remarkably dormant.  It does feel like standards have lowered with IRS backlog.  ProSeries can blame IRS but it can't also turn its back on its customers by its silence on IRS data handshake issues.  I'll extend then have the client paper file if we have to.  Software vendors and IRS need to solve this issue and similar "bugs". 

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JJV
Level 3

So you and I and how many hundreds or even thousands of us will try to call IRS to resolve this issue?  And how many hours will each of us spend to try to resolve it, what will the success rate be, and will we loose business because of it.  Wake up customer support.  New boss at Intuit QA/QC?

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kedaniels
Level 2

This name control has been the same for years. 

If trust is ABCD Family Trust the name control has always been FAMI . I tried changing it to ABCD and it worked.....

kedaniels
Level 2

This name control has been the same for years. 

If trust is ABCD Family Trust the name control has always been FAMI . I tried changing it to ABCD and it worked..... So I guess it USED to be the first 4 of the 2nd name in the trust and they changed it to the first 4 of the 1st name. Nice of them to tell us.

safcpa
Level 3

I had one a few days ago where the first 4 letters of the third part of the name allowed it to work

So not sure if the first 4 of the first name will always work

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AndresVTB
Level 4

Is Lacerte calculating the name control the new way if no override is inputted? I'd love to know.

KellieW
Level 2

I contacted IRS on this issue as well.  You must find the original SSA acknowledgement.  At the top there is a 4 digit code to enter or it's under "for IRS use only" section in the letter.  I was told this by an agent.

JJV
Level 3

Thank you Kelly.  I am looking at the SS-4 letter for the trust from IRS issued 12/6/2012, no such code.  I understand an IRS representative gave you this information.

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safcpa
Level 3

The 4 letters for the code are generally on the second page of the EIN letter.

Lacerte may populate with what they believe is correct but there is no consistency despite e-filing a return with no issues for several years

I said earlier it appears that the first 4 letters of the first part of the trust name generally but not always works as I just did one earlier this week where the first 4 letters of the third word in trust name worked

It is difficult to get through to the e-file help desk too

EdieA
Level 2

Exact same issue on several Fiduciary returns. Called the IRS, hold for 1 hour 48 minutes then disconnected because the office closed. There's no code on the SS-4. I decided to change the Name Control input, even though the prior input has worked for years. It was accepted. Had to do this for a few other returns too. Just play around until it works.

kedaniels
Level 2

That's what I did too. Just played around with code until it accepted. Seems to have no rhyme or reason.

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JJV
Level 3

Thanks safcpa, the second page of the SS-4 looks like it has a code. The code instructions tell you not to use prefixes like "The", but use the letters in the name.  Lacerte users may be able to try options but ProSeries Professional has a hard error when I type in over the default.  Not looking good.  That's on Intuit and ProSeries support now.

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JJV
Level 3

"Under Art IBB of Allen ...Family Trust" is the way its in the SS-4 I learned yesterday.  The code on page 2 is "UNDE".  I picked up the trust from another CPA and he had it in the return as "Allen....Family Tr" and Proseries autopopulated the code to ALLE.  It worked for 6 years.  Now I will try to change it to UNDE except ProSeries software appears to not allow it w/o an error code.

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Drphibes
Level 7

So, another name control reject for a Trust we have been doing for 8 prior years.  Come to find out the Trustee gave us an incorrect EIN, one digit off by 1, in an e-mail and yet for 8 years it was e-filing no problem until now.  Files just fine now with the correct number.  Luckily all income distributed out to one beneficiary so no tax.  Gotta love it....

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tracygarvin
Level 1

I've been trying to have a trust return accepted for almost 2 months with this problem (not giving up yet! :). I tried all of the words in the trust name.   On the THIRD call to the IRS (practitioner hotline), I finally got someone who told me what I have is correct but it's still being rejected.  Client is looking for the EIN letter.  Don't bother calling the help desk or the business lines, they won't tell you anything about the specific return even if you were the prepare for 2020.

rernesti
Level 1

I am dealing with this issue currently.  I read through all the messages to this post this morning and took the suggestion of changing the control name.  I have a trust with a name like "ABCDEFGH Family 2007 Irrevocable Trust dtd...".  I tried ABCD as it's been in the past, FAMI, ABC, and even 2007 to no avail.  Is there any more advice anyone has to see what might work for me?  I was on hold with the IRS this morning when I found this post but the wait time was long so I hung up.  

Thanks!

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rbynaker
Level 13
JJV
Level 3

Thank you RBYnice job and - much obliged.  I will get back to this at a time when it loses me less money.  Anyone notice how infrequently the ProSeries Professional News and Alerts publish?  You'd think they'd alert us about this rather than have us all stumble over it and burn collective time. Not cool.  I guess the forum helps but no pure solutions surface.  I'm a 30+ year user and very, very, infrequent user of customer support over the years. 

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lmoshinski
Level 2

I am also having trouble with this on trusts that have been e-filed in the past without a problem.

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Drphibes
Level 7