Physical signature of form 8879 instead of e-signatures.

[EddieO84]

Hi community, 

This is my first year with Proconnect, and I have a question that I'm trying to see if anybody can help me out with it. I know that I can send e-sign requests to my clients so they can sign form 8879, but can I have a client physically sign form 8879 and then upload them to the tax documents that are going to be e-filed instead of sending them a e-sign request?   

[abctax55]

Signed F-879's are for your files; they don't go to the IRS whether electronically sign or wet signed.

[itonewbie]

So, the short answer is yes.

[EddieO84]

Oh okay! So, I went ahead and contacted Proconnect support and asked them the same question and they pretty much gave me the same answer that you gave me. So just to double check, as long as I click on "taxpayer's signature date" on the input screen, print out form 8879, have them sign it, I can go ahead and click on the e-file button assuming all other critical diagnostics have been cleared right?   

[itonewbie · Accepted solution]

Nothing is automatic.  You still need to enter the client's signature date at the very least (which is a manual entry and not a "click") and your client's PIN, if not computer generated.  Once all is done, it would be prudent to go through the diagnostics again to make sure you have an all-clear.

For anything related to tax law and regulatory process, I would also be hesitant to rely on what Intuit Support says because they are simply not training in tax (at least for most of them).

[EddieO84]

Right. I also did read the instructions on form 8879 to see what the IRS says about the form. The instruction on the form pretty much says I keep a copy for my records, not to file it with the tax returns, and to have it available for at least 3 years in case the IRS requests it from me. So I think I have a better understanding of form 8879 now. I appreciate the help.  

[EddieO84]

I was under the impression that form 8879 had to be e-filed with the rest of the return and that is what confused me. I just had to do a little bit more reading to understand the concept of form 8879. 

[abctax55]

Glad to know that what I told you last Friday was confirmed by Intuit Support (!) as well as the reading of the instructions as well as what @itonewbie (Jensen) had to say.  

[IRonMaN]

I thought that you had given a correct answer, but if Intuit support is providing the same answer I am second guessing if that really was correct  😜

[abctax55]

D*mn....  I didn't think of that.  BUT, Jensen concurred so maybe we are OK??

[IRonMaN]

I'll have to think about since this goes against everything we know about Intuit support.

[itonewbie]

Hmm, now that you get me thinking... I'm starting to doubt my own answer. 🤣

[WATax]

I'm also just starting to file returns in ProConnect. When I'm working for TurboTax and filing returns we use the system generated pin or client provided that the preparer enters, no esignatures. Can I do it the same way in ProConnect. And when would we use the esignature service?

[George4Tacks]

Not a good idea to jump aboard an old thread like you did. I think the answer could be found above, but here is my short summary.

1. Nothing you do with TurboTax applies to what you would do here.

2. You need a client and a preparer signature and dates on the 8879.  You do that by one of two ways. Wet signature from the taxpayer(s) or e-signature from DocuSign (or whatever other service you might find) when you can't get the wet signature. 

[WATax]

@George4Tacks Sorry for jumping in, I thought it was pertinent to the discussion. Thanks for the reply!

[George4Tacks]

Jumping in will generally not get you an answer, especially if the original is marked answered and more than a year old.

If  you have new question - start a new question. Start with something short after selecting the software, then you will be given a large space to type all the details that would add to the question.