QuickAlerts November 2011
November 2, 2011: Individual e-File – Publication 1436 TY 2011 Nature of Change # 2
ATTN: Software Developers, Return Transmitters and Authorized IRS e-file Providers/EROs, please be advised that an update to Publication 1436, Test Package for Electronic Filers of Individual Income Tax Returns For Tax Year 2011, along with an explanation of the change has been posted at Publication 1436 (Rev. 9-2011
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November 2, 2011: Form 7004 Assurance Testing System
ATTN: Software Developers, Return Transmitters and Authorized IRS e-file Providers/EROs, Form 7004 XML Schemas and Business Rules should be used according to the following schedule for ATS:
- TY2010v2.1 may be used until 12-18-2011
- TY2011v2.0 will be used beginning 12-19-2011.
Questions or comments may be directed to the e-help Desk at 1-866-255-0654.
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November 3, 2011: Form 1040 Modernized e-File (1040 MeF) Production Shutdown/Cut Over Schedule
Attention: (MeF) Participants - Transmitters, Software Developers, Practitioners and States. To ensure that all Form 1040 tax returns e-filed through the Modernized e-File (MeF) system are processed timely, the following 1040 MeF Production shutdown/cut over and acknowledgment retrieval schedule has been established. It is imperative that everyone adhere to the schedule shown below.
1040 MeF Production Shutdown/Cut Over Schedule:
Shutdown begins on Monday, November 22, 2011 and ends on Tuesday, January 17, 2012. Important Note: States who schedule retrieval of their state submissions may have to change their schedule in order to retrieve submissions in time to validate returns and submit acknowledgements by 11:30 am, Eastern on November 22nd. Anything not retrieved thru MeF by 11:59 am, on November 22nd, cannot be accessed again until MeF reopens for 1040 MeF Production on January 17, 2012.
Shutdown Deadlines on Tuesday, November 22, 2011 (Eastern Time)
- Transmitters:
- Transmitting Submissions (State & Federal) 10:00 am
- Retrieving Acknowledgements 11:59 am
- States:
- Transmitting Acknowledgements 11:30 am
MeF Assurance Testing System (ATS) Schedule:
ATS will remain open throughout this production shutdown/cut over period (11/22/2011 - 01/17/2012). You will find the latest 1040 MeF information posted to Schemas and Business Rules for Forms 1040/4868 Modernized e-File (MeF).
Production Start Up on Tuesday, January 17, 2012 (Eastern Time)
Transmitters & States 9:00am. Important Note: BMF returns are not impacted by this IMF Production Shutdown/Cut over schedule.
Business MeF Production Shutdown/Cut Over Schedule:
Shutdown is tentatively scheduled to begin on Tuesday, December 27, 2011 at 11:59 am, and end on Monday, January 09, 2012 at 9:00 am, Eastern.
A QuickAlerts outlining the exact timeframes to Send Submissions or retrieve federal/state Acknowledgements will be issued in early December and the times will be posted on the MeF Status Page.
Please monitor the MeF Status Page for any updates.
We apologize for any inconveniences and thank you for your cooperation.
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November 3, 2011: Impact of Daylight Savings Time Change on Modernized e-File (MeF)
Attention: MeF Participants. The IRS would like to alert you to an issue that could occur during the Daylight Savings time change scheduled this weekend. In past years, a few transmitters experienced problems with files created during the hour when the clocks moved.
We recommend that you do not create transmission files during the hour of 1:59 am, Eastern to 2:59 am, Eastern on Sunday, November 6, 2011. Please adjust the time based on your time zone.
If you experience any problems with transmission files created early Sunday morning, please let us know through the MeF mailbox.
We apologize for the late notification and thank you in advance for your cooperation.
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November 4, 2011: ITIN Processing (Auto Population of TIN on Form W-2)
ATTN: Software Developers, Return Transmitters and Authorized IRS e-file Providers/EROs. When preparing individual income tax returns (Form 1040 series) for TY 2011, the Internal Revenue Service will require the manual key entry of the Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) as it appears on Form W-2 received from the employer for all taxpayers with Individual Taxpayer Identification Numbers (ITINs) who are reporting wages.
If an ITIN is involved, both primary and secondary TINs must be manually entered. This applies to all Form W-2 series that can be filed electronically and does not include Forms 1099.
This QuickAlerts clarifies prior QuickAlerts issued on July 6, 2011 and August 2, 2011.
This requirement applies only to software packages used in the preparation of individual tax returns for e-filing via Legacy and Modernized e-File Systems.
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November 7, 2011: EITC Due Diligence Penalty Increased
The EITC due diligence penalty jumps from $100 to $500, per failure to comply, on returns filed after December 31, 2011. Learn your how to meet your requirements and how to avoid penalties with the online EITC Due Diligence training module.
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November 7, 2011: Modernized e-File (MeF) Downtime for System Upgrade
The Modernized e-File (MeF) will be taken off-line starting 9:00 pm Eastern, Friday, November 25, 2011 lasting until 6:00 am Eastern, Monday, November 28, 2011 while the IRS performs system upgrades.
The Modernized e-File systems (both Production and ATS) will not be operational during this timeframe.
Please refrain from accessing the MeF Production or Assurance Testing Systems to transmit business/individual tax returns, retrieve acknowledgements or submit any other service requests.
We apologize for any inconvenience caused and thank you for your cooperation.
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November 8, 2011: 1040 PATS Drains correction for TY2011
ATTN: Software Developers, Return Transmitters and Authorized IRS e-file Providers/EROs. Please be advised that an update to IRS e-file Processing Schedule Participants Acceptance Testing (PATS) for TY2011 has been posted to IRS.gov.
PATS Testing is scheduled to begin on November 15, 2011.
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November 10, 2011: Individual e-file - Tax Year 2011 Publication 1346 Record Layout Nature of Changes # 2
ATTN: Software Developers, Return Transmitters and Authorized IRS e-file Providers/EROs. Please be advised the Tax Year 2011 Publication 1346, Record Layout Nature of Changes # 2, has been uploaded to IRS.gov. You may access this information using the following link: Tax Year 2011 Publication 1346
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November 17, 2011: Individual Filers - PATS Testing Update #1
ATTN: Software Developers, Return Transmitters and Authorized IRS e-file Providers/EROs. We have identified problems with Scenario 5, Earned Income Credit (EIC) erroneously rejecting and Scenario 7, Error Reject Code 1191 for Form 5405 being generated in error.
We are researching the problems. A subsequent QuickAlerts will be issued when the problems have been resolved.
We apologize for any inconvenience.
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November 18, 2011: Individual Filer – PATS Testing Update #2
ATTN: Software Developers, Return Transmitters and Authorized IRS e-file Providers/EROs. There have been two problems identified in PATS Processing.
One problem involves Error Reject Code (ERC) 0010 for Test Scenario #3 setting incorrectly on Schedule E (Form 1040), and the second problem involves ERC 0372 setting incorrectly when dependents are listed in a statement attached to Forms 1040/1040A.
We are researching the problems. A subsequent QuickAlerts will be issued when the problems have been resolved.
We apologize for any inconvenience.
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November 18, 2011: Individual Filers - PATS Testing
ATTN: Software Developers, Return Transmitters and Authorized IRS e-file Providers/EROs. Many Software Developers have reported receiving incorrect and outdated Error Reject Codes during PATS testing.
Please be advised that PATS, which started on November 15, 2011, is currently using the information in Tax Year 2011 Publication 1346, including Nature of Changes #1 which was released on October 7 via QuickAlerts, to assist in preparing the test scenarios. Please transmit all test scenarios using this information.
The changes included in Tax Year 2011 Publication 1346 Record Layout Nature of Changes #2, was released on November 10 via QuickAlerts. The Nature of Changes #2 updates are scheduled for implementation on December 13, 2011. At that time, all test scenarios should be transmitted using the most recent updates provided.
Please contact your e-Help Desk Assistor with any questions or concerns regarding passing PATS.
We apologize for any inconvenience.
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November 19, 2011: Publication 4162 - Tax Year 2011
ATTN: Software Developers, Return Transmitters and Authorized IRS e-file Providers/EROs. Please be advised that an update to Tax Year 2011 Publication 4162 , Modernized e-file Test Package for Forms 1120/1120-S/1120-F/7004, has been posted.
An explanation of the changes can be found on the Change Page within the new publication. Questions or comments may be directed to the e-help Desk at 1-866-255-0654.
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November 20, 2011: MeF (Modernized e-File)
Attn: Software Developers, Return Transmitters and Authorized IRS e-file Providers/EROs. Please Note: Scheduled maintenance will be extended today until 12:00 noon Eastern, Sunday November 20, 2011. While the system is still available, you may experience brief intermittent issues during this time.
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November 21, 2011: Business – MeF Form 2290
Attention: Software Developers, Return Transmitters and Authorized IRS e-file Providers/EROs. We are correcting the ATS and Production dates for Schema and Business Rules version 2011v1.4.
Schema and Business Rules version 2011v1.4 for the MeF Form 2290 will be available in ATS on 12/19/2011 and Production on 1/9/2012. Please use the current version 2011v1.3 for ATS and Production until the version 2011v1.4 schema is available.
We apologize for any inconvenience.
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November 21, 2011: Form 1040 Modernized e-File (1040 MeF) Production Shutdown/Cut Over Schedule
Attention: (MeF) Participants - Transmitters, Software Developers, Practitioners and States.
Pending shutdown for Individual 1040 Modernized e-File (MeF):
This is a reminder that the shutdown for 1040 MeF begins tomorrow – Tuesday, November 22, 2011.
1040 MeF Production Shutdown/Cut Over Schedule:
Shutdown begins on Tuesday, November 22, 2011 and ends on Tuesday, January 17, 2012.
Important Note: States who schedule retrieval of their state submissions may have to change their schedule in order to retrieve submissions in time to validate returns and submit acknowledgements by 11:30 am, Eastern on November 22nd. Anything not retrieved thru MeF by 11:59 am, on November 22nd, cannot be accessed again until MeF reopens for 1040 MeF Production on January 17, 2012.
Shutdown Deadlines on Tuesday, November 22, 2011 Eastern Time
Transmitters:
Transmitting Submissions (State & Federal) 10:00 am
Retrieving Acknowledgements 11:59 am
States:
Transmitting Acknowledgements 11:30 am
MeF Assurance Testing System (ATS) Schedule:
ATS will remain open throughout this production shutdown/cut over period (11/22/2011 - 01/17/2012). You will find the latest 1040 MeF information posted to Schemas and Business Rules for Forms 1040/4868 Modernized e-File (MeF).
Production Start Up on Tuesday, January 17, 2012 Eastern Time:
Transmitters & States 9:00am
Important Note: BMF returns are not impacted by this IMF Production Shutdown/Cut over schedule
Business MeF Production Shutdown/Cut Over Schedule:
Shutdown is tentatively scheduled to begin on Tuesday, December 27, 2011 at 11:59 am, and end on Monday, January 09, 2012 at 9:00 am, Eastern.
A QuickAlerts outlining the exact timeframes to Send Submissions or retrieve federal/state Acknowledgements for the Business MeF Production shutdown will be issued in early December and the times will be posted on the MeF Status Page.
Please monitor the MeF Status Page for any updates.
We apologize for any inconveniences and thank you for your cooperation.
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November 23, 2011: Individual Filers - Participants Acceptance Testing System (PATS)
ATTN: Software Developers, Return Transmitters and Authorized IRS e-file Providers/EROs. We were notified on November 22, 2011 of an operating problem with the PATS Program.
The problem has been resolved. You may continue to transmit test scenarios.
Please contact your e-Help Desk Assistor with any questions or concerns regarding your test scenarios and passing PATS.
We apologize for any inconvenience.
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November 30, 2011: Scheduled Modernized e-File (MeF) Production and Assurance Testing System (ATS) Downtime
The Modernized e-File system (MeF) will be unavailable from approximately 8:00 am Eastern, Saturday, December 3, 2011 until 7:00 am Eastern, Sunday, December 4, 2011, while the IRS performs maintenance work in preparation of the upcoming filing season.
We apologize for any inconvenience caused by this extended downtime. Thank you in advance for refraining from accessing the MeF Production or Assurance Testing Systems during this period.
