QuickAlerts February 2012
February 3, 2012: Form 1065/1065-B/1120/1120S/1120-F Business Rules and Schema Version 2011v2.2 for Tax Year 2011 ATS and Production Date Change
Assurance Testing (ATS) and Production Schemas and Business Rules Version 2011v2.2 for Forms 1065, 1065B, 1120, 1120S, and 1120-F will not be implemented on February 4, 2012. Versions 2011v2.0 and 2011v2.1 will remain in effect in ATS and Production until further notice.
Once a new ATS and Production date is established, we will post the new date on the appropriate MeF Schemas and Business Rules webpage on the IRS website and a subsequent Quick Alert will be issued.
We apologize for any inconvenience that this matter may have caused.
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February 3, 2012: Due Diligence Webinar to Air in Spanish
The free Meeting Your EITC Due Diligence webinar airs in Spanish at 2 p.m. EST, Feb 21. Register now. Learn about new requirements and how to avoid common pitfalls. Protect yourself from higher penalties. Discover free online tools to help you comply.
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February 6, 2012: First Time Homebuyer Credit Account Look-up Tool
To help taxpayers to comply with their FTHBC repayment, taxpayers can now use our First Time Homebuyer Credit Account Look-up to get account information such as the total amount of their credit and their repayment amount.
All they need to access their account is their Social Security Number (or IRS individual taxpayer identification number), date of birth, street address and zip code.
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February 6, 2012: Urgent Update: Modernized e-File (MeF) Production and Assurance Testing System (ATS) URL Change
All MTOM users, whether it's for ATS or Production transmissions, should go back to using the la. URL below, the minor issue with large sized returns has been resolved and the normal URL can now be used.
la.www4.irs.gov/a2a/mef/
We thank you for your patience and apologize for the inconvenience caused by this.
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February 10, 2012: IRS encourages your use of Legacy e-file system until further notice
We asked your help to fully test and run high volumes of tax returns through Modernized e-File (MeF) in 2012. Thank you for your cooperation.
We have successfully taken in more volume through MeF this year than all year in 2011. MeF is working properly, but we have discovered some issues with linkages to downstream processing systems that have primarily affected returns filed between February 6 and 10, 2012.
Those issues, we believe, have been resolved. However, as a temporary measure to ensure future processing runs smoothly, and to provide adequate time to complete processing of the affected returns, we have temporarily lifted all restrictions on the Legacy system.
We encourage you to use Legacy until further notice. Be assured all systems used for processing returns are operational and are accepting returns. CADE2 and MeF are operating correctly.
Again, we encourage you to use the Legacy e-file system until further notice.
We will continue to provide updates through Quick Alerts and other partner channels.
We appreciate your patience and understanding.
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February 15, 2012: Modernized e-File (MeF) Upcoming Application to Application (A2A) Certificate Changes
Effective February 26 the list of permitted X509 certificates will change. Beginning on that date, externals may only use those certificates and intermediaries who are listed on the General Services Administration (GSA) bridge. This means many of the ones previously used by externals will no longer be allowed.
Externals with accounts (system ids) using current certificates can continue using those certificates for those system ids (after February 26) until the certificate expires.
On February 26, 2012, and after, any new accounts or new system ids for existing accounts must use a certificate listed on the new list of permitted certificates.
Externals with existing certificate accounts should consider adding more system ids before February 26, 2012, and assigning them their existing certificate. This way they will not find themselves in the position of having to purchase a new certificate because they find a need to create another system id.
Of course, once their existing certificate expires they will have to purchase a new one from the list of permitted certificates. The new list of certificates and how to acquire those is stated below.
Identrust ACES Business Representative (already supported), naming an individual: Go to identrust and choose the Certificates menu and the type of ACES (currently ACES Business Representative). The type to choose is "ACES Business Representative".
Identrust ACES SSL (newly supported), naming a server: Go to Identrust and choose the Certificates menu and the type of ACES (currently ACES SSL). The type to choose is "ACES SSL Server".
ORC ACES Business Representative (newly supported), naming an individual: Go to ACES ORC and follow the "Get Certificate" button. When you reach the "Select a Certificate" screen, choose "Business Representative". Please note that we have not tested with the Government Representative types and do not know if they will work with our system. We don't expect state and local governments to use ORC Government Representative certificates.
ORC ECA (newly supported), naming a server: Go to ORC ECA and select "Order Component/Server Certificates". On the screen for order, please choose "Server Certificates".
Please contact the MeFmailbox@irs.gov for any questions or concerns you may have regarding this.
