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The IRS 8879 form plays a crucial role in the tax filing process for many individuals and businesses. This form serves as an e-file signature authorization, allowing taxpayers to give consent for their tax return to be electronically filed by a tax professional. By using this form, you can ensure that your tax return is submitted safely and securely, while also streamlining the filing process. It includes essential information such as your name, Social Security number, and details about your tax return. Additionally, the form requires your signature, which can be provided electronically, making it convenient for busy taxpayers. Understanding the importance of the IRS 8879 form can help you navigate the complexities of tax season with confidence and ease. Whether you are a first-time filer or a seasoned taxpayer, knowing how to properly complete and submit this form is vital for a smooth e-filing experience.

Dos and Don'ts

When filling out the IRS Form 8879, which is used to authorize an e-filed tax return, it is essential to follow certain guidelines to ensure accuracy and compliance. Here are eight important do's and don'ts to consider:

  • Do ensure that all personal information is accurate, including your name, Social Security number, and address.
  • Do review the tax return carefully before signing the form to confirm that all figures are correct.
  • Do provide your signature and date in the appropriate sections of the form.
  • Do keep a copy of the signed Form 8879 for your records after submission.
  • Don't forget to check that the tax preparer has signed the form if you are using a professional service.
  • Don't leave any required fields blank; fill in all necessary information to avoid delays.
  • Don't submit the form without confirming that the e-filed return has been accepted by the IRS.
  • Don't ignore any instructions provided by the IRS or your tax preparer regarding the completion of the form.

Document Attributes

Fact Name Details
Purpose The IRS Form 8879 is used to authorize an electronic return originator to file a tax return electronically on behalf of the taxpayer.
Signature Requirement This form must be signed by the taxpayer to validate the electronic submission of their tax return.
Filing Method Form 8879 is not filed with the IRS; it is retained by the tax preparer as proof of authorization.
Taxpayer Information The form collects essential taxpayer information, including name, Social Security number, and filing status.
Electronic Signature Taxpayers can provide an electronic signature on Form 8879, which is legally binding.
Record Keeping Tax preparers must keep the signed Form 8879 for three years after the return due date or filing date.
State-Specific Forms Some states have their own versions of Form 8879, governed by state tax laws.
Use for Amendments Form 8879 can also be used for amended returns, allowing the taxpayer to authorize electronic filing of changes.
Deadline The form must be signed and submitted before the electronic tax return is filed, ensuring timely submission.

Key takeaways

The IRS 8879 form, also known as the IRS e-file Signature Authorization, is an essential document for electronically filing your tax return. Here are key takeaways to keep in mind when filling out and using this form:

  • The form authorizes your tax preparer to e-file your tax return on your behalf.
  • It must be signed by you, the taxpayer, to validate the electronic submission.
  • Ensure that all personal information, such as your Social Security number and address, is accurate.
  • You can only use the IRS 8879 form if your tax preparer is an authorized e-file provider.
  • Do not send the IRS 8879 form with your tax return; keep it for your records.
  • The form must be completed and signed before the tax return can be submitted electronically.
  • Be aware of deadlines; the form should be signed and submitted by the tax filing deadline.
  • Retain a copy of the signed form for at least three years for your records.
  • If you need to amend your return later, you may need to refer back to the IRS 8879 form.

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Example - IRS 8879 Form

Form 8879

(Rev. January 2021)

Department of the Treasury Internal Revenue Service

IRS e-file Signature Authorization

▶ ERO must obtain and retain completed Form 8879.

▶Go to www.irs.gov/Form8879 for the latest information.

OMB No. 1545-0074

Submission Identification Number (SID)

▲

Taxpayer’s name

 

 

 

Social security number

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Spouse’s name

 

 

 

 

Spouse’s social security number

 

 

 

 

 

 

Part I

 

Tax Return Information — Tax Year Ending December 31,

 

(Enter

year you are authorizing.)

Enter whole dollars only on lines 1 through 5.

 

 

 

 

 

Note: Form 1040-SS filers use line 4 only. Leave lines 1, 2, 3, and 5 blank.

 

 

 

 

 

1

Adjusted gross income

.

. .

.

. . .

1

2

Total tax

.

. .

.

. . .

2

3

Federal income tax withheld from Form(s) W-2 and Form(s) 1099

.

. .

.

. . .

3

4

Amount you want refunded to you

.

. .

.

. . .

4

5

Amount you owe

.

. .

.

. . .

5

Part II Taxpayer Declaration and Signature Authorization (Be sure you get and keep a copy of your return)

Under penalties of perjury, I declare that I have examined a copy of the income tax return (original or amended) I am now authorizing, and to the best of my knowledge and belief, it is true, correct, and complete. I further declare that the amounts in Part I above are the amounts from the income tax return (original or amended) I am now authorizing. I consent to allow my intermediate service provider, transmitter, or electronic return originator (ERO) to send my return to the IRS and to receive from the IRS (a) an acknowledgement of receipt or reason for rejection of the transmission, (b) the reason for any delay in processing the return or refund, and (c) the date of any refund. If applicable, I authorize the U.S. Treasury and its designated Financial Agent to initiate an ACH electronic funds withdrawal (direct debit) entry to the financial institution account indicated in the tax preparation software for payment of my federal taxes owed on this return and/or a payment of estimated tax, and the financial institution to debit the entry to this account. This authorization is to remain in full force and effect until I notify the U.S. Treasury Financial Agent to terminate the authorization. To revoke (cancel) a payment, I must contact the U.S. Treasury Financial Agent at 1-888-353-4537. Payment cancellation requests must be received no later than 2 business days prior to the payment (settlement) date. I also authorize the financial institutions involved in the processing of the electronic payment of taxes to receive confidential information necessary to answer inquiries and resolve issues related to the payment. I further acknowledge that the personal identification number (PIN) below is my signature for the income tax return (original or amended) I am now authorizing and, if applicable, my Electronic Funds Withdrawal Consent.

Taxpayer’s PIN: check one box only

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I authorize

 

 

to enter or generate my PIN

 

 

 

 

 

 

Enter five digits, but

 

 

ERO firm name

 

 

don’t enter all zeros

signature on the income tax return (original or amended) I am now authorizing.

 

 

 

 

 

as my

I will enter my PIN as my signature on the income tax return (original or amended) I am now authorizing. Check this box only if you are entering your own PIN and your return is filed using the Practitioner PIN method. The ERO must complete Part III below.

Your signature ▶

 

 

Date ▶

 

 

 

 

 

Spouse’s PIN: check one box only

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I authorize

to enter or generate my PIN

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ERO firm name

 

 

Enter five digits, but

signature on the income tax return (original or amended) I am now authorizing.

don’t enter all zeros

as my

I will enter my PIN as my signature on the income tax return (original or amended) I am now authorizing. Check this box only if you are entering your own PIN and your return is filed using the Practitioner PIN method. The ERO must complete Part III below.

Spouse’s signature ▶

Date ▶

 

Practitioner PIN Method Returns Only—continue below

Part III Certification and Authentication — Practitioner PIN Method Only

ERO’s EFIN/PIN. Enter your six-digit EFIN followed by your five-digit self-selected PIN.

Don’t enter all zeros

I certify that the above numeric entry is my PIN, which is my signature for the electronic individual income tax return (original or amended) I am now authorized to file for tax year indicated above for the taxpayer(s) indicated above. I confirm that I am submitting this return in accordance with the requirements of the Practitioner PIN method and Pub. 1345, Handbook for Authorized IRS e-file Providers of Individual Income Tax Returns.

ERO’s signature ▶

Date ▶

 

ERO Must Retain This Form — See Instructions

 

Don’t Submit This Form to the IRS Unless Requested To Do So

 

For Paperwork Reduction Act Notice, see your tax return instructions.

Cat. No. 32778X

Form 8879 (Rev. 01-2021)

Form 8879 (Rev. 01-2021)

Page 2

General Instructions

Section references are to the Internal Revenue Code unless otherwise noted.

Future developments. For the latest information about developments related to Form 8879 and its instructions, such as legislation enacted after they were published, go to www.irs.gov/Form8879.

What's New. Form 8879 is used to authorize the electronic filing (e-file) of original and amended returns. Use this Form 8879 (Rev. January 2021) to authorize e-file of your Form 1040, 1040-SR, 1040-NR, 1040-SS, or 1040- X, for tax years beginning with 2019.

Purpose of Form

Form 8879 is the declaration document and signature authorization for an e-filed return filed by an electronic return originator (ERO). Complete Form 8879 when the Practitioner PIN method is used or when the taxpayer authorizes the ERO to enter or generate the taxpayer’s personal identification number (PIN) on his or her e-filed individual income tax return.

 

 

▲

 

!

Don’t send this form to the IRS.

The ERO must retain Form 8879.

CAUTION

 

When and How To Complete

Use this chart to determine when and how to complete Form 8879.

IF the ERO is . . .

THEN . . .

 

 

Not using the Practitioner

Don’t complete

PIN method and the

Form 8879.

taxpayer enters his or her

 

own PIN

 

 

 

Not using the Practitioner

Complete Form

PIN method and is

8879, Parts I and II.

authorized to enter or

 

generate the taxpayer’s

 

PIN

 

 

 

Using the Practitioner PIN

Complete Form 8879,

method and is authorized

Parts I, II, and III.

to enter or generate the

 

taxpayer’s PIN

 

 

 

Using the Practitioner PIN

Complete Form 8879,

Parts I, II, and III.

method and the taxpayer

 

enters his or her own PIN

 

 

 

ERO Responsibilities

The ERO must:

1.Enter the name(s) and social security number(s) of the taxpayer(s) at the top of the form.

2.Complete Part I using the amounts (zeros may be entered when appropriate) from the taxpayer’s tax return. Form 1040-SS filers leave lines 1 through 3 and line 5 blank.

3.Enter or generate, if authorized by the taxpayer, the taxpayer’s PIN and enter it in the boxes provided in Part II.

4.Enter on the authorization line in Part II the ERO firm name (not the name of the individual preparing the return) if the ERO is authorized to enter the taxpayer’s PIN.

5.Provide the taxpayer(s) Form 8879 by hand delivery, U.S. mail, private delivery service, email, Internet website, or fax.

6.Enter the 20-digit Submission Identification Number (SID) assigned to the tax return, or associate Form 9325, Acknowledgement and General Information for Taxpayers Who File Returns Electronically, with Form 8879 after filing. If Form 9325 is used to provide the SID, it isn’t required to be physically attached to Form 8879. However, it must be kept in accordance with published retention requirements for Form 8879. See Pub. 4164, Modernized e-File (MeF) Guide for Software Developers and Transmitters, for more details.

You must receive the completed ▲! and signed Form 8879 from the

taxpayer before the electronic CAUTION return is transmitted (or released

for transmission).

For additional information, see Pub. 1345.

Taxpayer Responsibilities

Taxpayers must:

1.Verify the accuracy of the prepared income tax return, including direct deposit information.

2.Check the appropriate box in Part II to authorize the ERO to enter or generate your PIN or to do it yourself.

3.Indicate or verify your PIN when authorizing the ERO to enter or generate it (the PIN must be five digits other than all zeros).

4.Sign and date Form 8879. Taxpayers must sign Form 8879 by handwritten signature, or electronic signature if supported by computer software.

5.Return the completed Form 8879 to the ERO by hand delivery, U.S. mail, private delivery service, email, Internet website, or fax.

Your return won’t be transmitted to the IRS until the ERO receives your signed Form 8879.

Refund information. You can check on the status of your refund if it has been at least 72 hours since the IRS acknowledged receipt of your e-filed return. But if you filed Form 8379 with your return, allow 11 weeks. To check the status of your refund, do one of the following.

•Go to www.irs.gov/Refunds.

•Call 1-800-829-4477 for automated refund information and follow the recorded instructions.

•Call 1-800-829-1954.

Important Notes for EROs

•Don’t send Form 8879 to the IRS unless requested to do so. Retain the completed Form 8879 for 3 years from the return due date or IRS received date, whichever is later. Form 8879 may be retained electronically in accordance with the recordkeeping guidelines in Rev. Proc. 97-22, which is on page 9 of Internal Revenue Bulletin 1997-13 at www.irs.gov/pub/irs-irbs/irb97-13.pdf.

•Confirm the identity of the taxpayer(s).

•Complete Part III only if you are filing the return using the Practitioner PIN method. You aren’t required to enter the taxpayer’s date of birth, prior year adjusted gross income, or PIN in the Authentication Record of the electronically filed return.

•If you aren’t using the Practitioner PIN method, enter the taxpayer(s) date of birth and either the adjusted gross income or the PIN, or both, from the taxpayer’s prior year originally filed return in the Authentication Record of the taxpayer’s electronically filed return. Don’t use an amount from an amended return or a math error correction made by the IRS.

•Enter the taxpayer’s PIN(s) on the input screen only if the taxpayer has authorized you to do so. If married filing jointly, it is acceptable for one spouse to authorize you to enter his or her PIN, and for the other spouse to enter his or her own PIN. It isn’t acceptable for a taxpayer to select or enter the PIN of an absent spouse.

•Taxpayers must use a PIN to sign their

e-filed individual income tax return transmitted by an ERO.

•Provide the taxpayer with a copy of the signed Form 8879 for his or her records upon request.

•Provide the taxpayer with a corrected copy of Form 8879 if changes are made to the return (for example, based on taxpayer review).

•EROs can sign the form using a rubber stamp, mechanical device (such as a signature pen), or computer software program. See Notice 2007-79, 2007-42 I.R.B. 809, available at www.irs.gov/ irb/2007-42_IRB/ar10.html, for more information.

•Go to www.irs.gov/Efile for the latest information.

Detailed Instructions for Writing IRS 8879

After you have gathered all necessary information for your tax return, you will need to fill out the IRS Form 8879. This form is essential for e-filing your return and ensures that your information is accurately submitted. Follow these steps carefully to complete the form.

  1. Begin by entering your name and Social Security Number in the designated fields at the top of the form.
  2. Provide your spouse’s name and Social Security Number if you are filing jointly.
  3. Fill in your address, including city, state, and ZIP code.
  4. Next, enter the tax year for which you are filing. This is usually the current year.
  5. Locate the section for the tax return information. Input the total income, tax liability, and any other relevant figures as prompted.
  6. Review the section that requires your signature. You will need to sign and date the form to certify that the information provided is accurate.
  7. If applicable, your spouse should also sign and date the form if filing jointly.
  8. Finally, ensure that all information is correct and legible before submitting the form with your tax return.

Once you have completed these steps, you will be ready to submit the form along with your tax return electronically. This will help facilitate a smooth filing process and ensure compliance with IRS requirements.

Documents used along the form

The IRS 8879 form, also known as the e-file Signature Authorization, is crucial for taxpayers who wish to electronically file their federal tax returns. However, it is often accompanied by other important documents that facilitate the filing process. Below is a list of forms and documents commonly used alongside the IRS 8879.

  • Form 1040: This is the standard individual income tax return form used by U.S. taxpayers to report their annual income. It includes details about income, deductions, and tax credits.
  • Form W-2: Employers provide this form to employees, detailing their annual wages and the taxes withheld. It is essential for accurately reporting income on the tax return.
  • Form 1099: This form reports various types of income received throughout the year, such as freelance earnings or interest income. Taxpayers use it to ensure all income is accounted for on their tax return.
  • Operating Agreement: This foundational document is important for the structure and management of an LLC in New York, providing clarity and legal guidance; for those interested in templates, visit NY Templates.
  • Form 4868: This is the application for an automatic extension of time to file a U.S. individual income tax return. If taxpayers need more time, they submit this form to avoid penalties.

Using the IRS 8879 form in conjunction with these documents ensures a smoother and more efficient tax filing process. Each form plays a vital role in helping taxpayers accurately report their financial information to the IRS.