What's the deal with no final California forms?

[rsowens]

It's January 26.  Why is it that there are no California Forms released yet.  Says they are ready for efile, but will print "blank".  FTB site show a form in final status.  When will they be out?  Also curious if Pro Series and TurboTax have their forms ready.

[danobaseball]

So frustrating... I hate this period.  I have dozens of business returns I can complete and file, but CA forms are not available.  Why?

[rsowens]

Support doesn't know either. I asked when I called about another matter.  I don't understand why we can't get an answer, especially with efile open.  The diagnostic says Form 540 is efile only.  SMH, why not have the form available if we can efile it.

[IRonMaN]

"why not have the form available if we can efile it" 

That's the 8th wonder of the world.  Intuit does things like that every year but nobody outside of Intuit has solved that one yet.

[danobaseball]

It's interesting (not really) that we can e-file the CA return, but cannot print CA forms.

[danobaseball]

Nothing yet.  WHY?

January 27, 4:45PM

[rsowens]

And no response from Lacerte!  Why leave us in the dark?  I have a stack of returns ready to process and just waiting on Lacerte.  ridiculous.

[danobaseball]

Same here...

Apparently Lacerte thinks tax season starts in February.

I was able to do a MO S-Corp (yipee).

[Kathi_at_Intuit]

Hello! Thanks for asking when CA forms willbe ready for printing. The Tax Forms Availability page is the best place to check the current status of forms and see when they are expected to be available.

Some forms may show messages such as “Historically available 15 days after final forms release” or “Final and watermarked – E-file only,” to help give the status of the form.

This page is the primary reference we have for form availability at this time and there is no estimated timeframe for when it will be available for print. You may find it helpful to bookmark it (Ctrl + D) for quick access in the future.

We understand the frustration around waiting for final forms and appreciate your patience.

[rsowens]

That link really gives no information.  It's tough to understand why Lacerte has absolutely no idea about availability.  No one can even say whether it's a Lacerte thing or an FTB issue.  Federal efile opened 3 days ago too.  And, why would I want to efile CA with blank pages as I can't give the client their copy of the tax return?  SMH

[danobaseball]

The Tax Forms Availability page is USELESS!

It tells us NOTHING!

[strongsilence]

How do you have so many ready now?  How are your clients so proactive?  Are these simple 1040s, say with no investment 1099s?

[danobaseball]

I'm talking about business returns.  We do the accounting and it is ready to go. I have dozens of partnerships and S-Corps waiting on Lacerte.

[CovertOperations]

Now it's January 29th and still no answers.  I can't even show a client a draft of the California return unless then are sitting in front of me looking at my computer screen.   No work around to print???

Ugh...

[strongsilence]

Thank you!

[rsowens]

I also have quite a few simple returns.  And they get their information to me as soon as they receive it.

[strongsilence]

Yeah, keep complaining! That is our job.  Have you considered Drake?

(I'm quite certain they don't have enough programmers.)

I would really like a dedicated California team. I have asked for upgrades to the CA returns for years, at least three years.  Except for possibly NY, we CA preparers are Intuit's biggest clients!  I'd like them to do better for us.  

[CovertOperations]

I just did the program update as soon as we got the notification of the new version after lunch today and still no Ca forms so I called again. 

The Lacerte CSR didn't have any more information, but said possible by 2/6!    She was very friendly, but didn't get my humor when i said "You're killing me,  Smalls!!!"

[sjrcpa]

@CovertOperations You actually called about this? Kathi, an Intuit employee, said yesterday there is no known date for when you can print them. Of course Phone Support doesn't have any info.

[rsowens]

Kudos for the cultural reference! LOL.  It's so long ago that many won't get it.

With this situation, I feel like that Simpson meme where Grandpa is shaking his fist at the sky.  Maybe a well deserved rant, but very frustrating none the less.

[johnwaynemovies]

when will california forms be printable

[danobaseball]

Well, it's Friday January 30, 2026.  I'd love to come in tomorrow and work, but wait, no, the CA tax software is not ready.  Come on Lacerte- tell us what's going on.  This is ridiculous!  Every year it gets later and later.  Why is this not ready?  Are you going to waste another week? 

If you don't know, IT'S TAX SEASON.  California tax prs need to get started. 

What's going on?  Don't tell me to look at the form Availability Tool, because it stinks, it tells me nothing.

When will these be ready?  I'm ready to give Thomson Reuters a call.  For the price you charge, you should be working day and night to get this ready.

COMPLETELY UNACCEPTABLE!!!!!  

Any answer Lacerte?

[strongsilence]

Have you tried ChatGPT for preparing a tax return?  

[IntuitKatie]

Thanks so much for the feedback. We will give this information to the right department. Our best resource we have is the forms availability page. 

[rsowens]

As you probably know, the form availability page is effectively useless. 

What would help would be if you could tell us what the process is.  Is it on Lacerte's end?  Does the FTB have to approve the forms before you can release them? 

And, why can we efile California when the forms are not final?  That doesn't make sense since we have to give the client a copy of the return.  Please feel free to reply here.  And more info would be appreciated!

[strongsilence]

Is it on Lacerte's end?

Intuit doesn't like to disclose what you are asking for.

I have asked for years for Intuit to state specific changes made to forms with each update, yet they won't. (They endlessly list the improvements made compared to last year.)

Like it's a crime to admit why you have made a correction to your product!

And why can we efile California when the forms are not final?

Very good question. This suggests that it is Lacerte that is delaying release.

[sfmeliss]

WTF, it's February 1st and no CA forms?  I can e-file returns for clients but can't send them PDF copies?  makes no sense and according to CA forms link that Intuit provided all CA forms should be available.   

[bwcpa]

Totally agree.  There's no way to legally have a client sign an e file form until he's had an opportunity to review the tax return.  If the return can't be printed out, as in the case of the California forms, then he would be unable to view the return unless he came to my office and reviewed each page on my computer screen.

We have many S corp and LLC returns completed and ready to hit the "print pdf" button, if not for these California forms which have been blocked from printing.  Lots of wip tied up in inventory, and not billable until we can deliver the product.  Other commentators have indicated that Lacerte customers generally have a heavy concentration of California clients, since Larry Lacerte started his business in California, and I belive that the Company should focus on that fact.  

The policy should be, if the return can be e filed, it should also be available for printing.  Any explanation other than that just doesn't make any sense.

[sfmeliss]

Update - when I request signatures through Lacerte the PDF copy that goes to client for review has all forms, which makes no sense because if I go to print return the forms are not available?  They need to update ASAP.  

[CovertOperations]

I tested one client using ESignature and the Ca return was blank that got sent to him.

Can we please get an update????  Like everyone else posting, I have a ton of returns ready to submit and feeling like I'm already backlogged and no billings!!!

[strongsilence]

Try Drake Tax Software | Free Trial for Tax Professionals

Free trial.

[JennyJ]

Same for Wisconsin forms.....Do programmers have any guesstimate when they will be ready????  The link only shows the form is ready for efile but not when they will be ready to print?  Would be nice to have something to tell our clients.  Tax season is a short enough runway.  I understand the complexity of the new tax laws but they have been passed for some time now.  Please give us something!

[screengazer]

It is Feb 3 -- still no forms. WTF???

I can't wait half the season for the forms!!!
And what is the deal with the "15 day timeframe since the forms get released"? 15 days is 1/6 of the filing season. For all the money Lacerte charges, can't they put some people to work and finalize them within a couple of days of release?

[ZBologna]

I bet INTUIT wasted no time in making sure TurboTax state forms were ready to go on day 1. This is wildly inappropriate given the high premium cost of Lacerte.

[ZBologna]

Of course they are. Then they can saturate the market with TurboTax adds promising faster results and filing. Its wild.

[Don W]

I agree.  They use our money to develop Turbo Tax and undercharge consumers for that program.  Then treat us like we are not important and never have the program ready until after Turbo Tax is all good.  

[Unlegendaryhero]

THAT PART!

[rsowens]

And I just saw a  commercial for Turbo Tax where they're advertising $150 tax prep.  "All In"

SMH.

[Leon033]

I’m having to explain to clients why their friends using TurboTax, or preparers using Drake, are able to file California returns while I can not. Worse, I don’t have a clear answer to give them, because Intuit has been largely tight-lipped about what’s going on. This is reflecting poorly on my business, not on Intuit.

We’ve been a Lacerte firm for nearly 30 years, but these early-season delays seem to be getting worse each year. At this point, I’m being forced to seriously evaluate other options unless Intuit can provide some indication that this issue is being actively addressed.

If this is the level of support we can expect going forward, it’s difficult to justify continuing to pay roughly $17,000 per year when competitors are not putting their users in this position.

Loyalty only works when it’s mutual.

[danobaseball]

I agree 100% - this is ridiculous!

I called Lacerte again today and they have NO ANSWER!

The person said "we don't know the exact date, just check the Forms Availability Page" which as we all know is USELESS.

How much is Drake?  How much is Thomson Reuters?

[sfmeliss]

Same.  This is completely ridiculous and unprofessional, especially to not have a date or any information about when there will be a fix.    

[abctax55]

StarDate 2.3.2026

@Kathi_at_Intuit 

We really do need (and deserve) some info on this.  And not just "check the page" for Forms availability.  A large portion of Intuit's customers are based in CA.  TurdoooooTax has the forms (supposedly, I don't have verification of that) as do other software providers (again, I don't have 'proof'.

At LEAST, you owe us some real info as to what the problem is, why it's happening, and a date of the problem being resolved.

Intuit has no problem taking our money, in advance, then basically hog-tying up so we can't generate early cash flow from some simple returns this time of year.

[IRonMaN]

I can offer some proof - ProSeries has them.

[rsowens]

Then, this BS!  Especially with what we pay for Lacerte.  We should get the forms earlier with that.  if nothing else at the same time.

When they send the follow survey from support calls, they should send a separate one for the agent and for how much Lacerte cares about us as a client!

[DebF]

Why am I hearing that everyone else has CA forms available except for us??? Just our little business pays almost $40K for this program. Times that by everyone else...I would think that would mean something...

[dscott]

I 100% agree!  So frustrating.......we can't e-file without the client being able to see the return and when I try to send them the electronic copy with e-signature, the forms come out blank.   Why is this taking so long......seems like an Intuit issue not FTB.   FTB shows the forms as final  

[rsowens]

Agreed.  With the money Lacerte charges us, I expect communications from the top.  We can't ask or yell at Support.  They don't deserve it and don't know anything.  Does anyone know if the other Intuit tax programs have California forms?  Maybe it's just frustration, but I'm betting yes.  And another Turbo Tax ad just popped up.  If this is the way we're going to be treated, it might be time to evaluate a 20+ year relationship.

[CovertOperations]

Well, at least I'm earning badges!  lol

Can't get work off my desk and have no billings but...

[amarefan1]

I am seriously contemplating Drake or another tax software next year. Absolutely ridiculous that the CA forms still cannot be printed despite being e-file ready. For the price we pay for what's supposed to be "gold standard" - unreal.

[IRonMaN]

@CovertOperations  At this pace, by the end of the week you should be in possession of the prestigious Dick Tracy crimefighter badge.