Creating a New Return



Please go to:

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Always DOUBLE CHECK the link:

-You should ALWAYS login to .

This is the training site and is used for practicing tax returns.

-You should NEVER login to .

This site is used for preparing actual tax returns.

First Time Login Procedures:

1. Client ID: 914317

2. User Name: Your VITA number (vita101, vita208, etc.)

3. Password: Enter your user name in the password field. This field is case-sensitive.

4. Click Log In.

*You will be prompted to create a new password and to select and answer a secret question.

What are the password rules?

•Must be at least 8 characters in length.

•Must not exceed 100 characters.

•Must contain at least one number.

•The password is case-sensitive. If you create the password with certain letters capitalized, you must always type them that way.

•Cannot contain the user name.

•Cannot be any of the 10 previous passwords.

•Must be unique to the Client ID. So, no two users associated with your office can have the same password.

•Expire every 90 days. You will be prompted to create a new password.

TWO Homepage

The following illustration depicts the TaxWise® Online Homepage while logged in as a created user. The user will have access to all returns created by the user.

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New Return–Select to start a new return.

Open Return–Select to open existing return.

Return Query–Select to check the status of any tax return.

User Settings–Select to view user information.

TaxWise® University–Select to log into TaxWise® University.

Help–Select to open TaxWise® Online Help.

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Practice Tax Returns



Login Procedures

1. Client ID: 914317

2. User Name: your VITA number (vita101, vita208, etc.)

3. Password: the password that you created during the first time login procedures.

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Practice tax returns are designed to assist you in gaining additional practice in completing tax returns similar to the ones that might be encountered at a tax assistant site. Therefore, you should be familiar with the Basic Steps in Preparing a Tax Return Using TaxWise Online that follow with some adjustments.

Following the Basic Steps in preparing a Practice tax return, stop after Finishing the Return step and do not take into considerations all following steps (Printing the return, Assembling Tax Return (File Copy), submitting returns to IRS, Viewing Acknowledgements).

1. Social Security Numbers (SSN) must begin with three unique digits, followed by the electronic filing identification number (EFIN) : 952472. Three first digits should not start with 0, 1 or 9. Furthermore, do not use the series of the same numbers like 222, 333, …, 888. Employer identification numbers (EIN) must begin with three unique digits provided to you as three first number of the SSN on the intake sheet, followed by the electronic filing identification number (EFIN) : 952472.

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2. When a phone number is requested on the main information screen, use your area code and prefix provided on the intake sheet followed by any four digits.

3. Replace “YS” with the two-letter state abbreviation for your state.

4. If your state requires the filling of an income tax return, enter the state abbreviation. If your state does not require a tax return, check the box to indicate a return is not being prepared.

5. For problems requesting that a Practitioner PIN personal identification number be used, do not enter the data until all return information has been entered. Ask your supervisor for the assistance.

6. Even training returns must be eligible for electronic filing. Therefore, after inputting all the data and removing all the red exclamation marks in the tree, do the diagnostic check. If there are any errors to prevent electronic filing, correct them and repeat the diagnostic check.

Creating a New Return

To start a new return, use the following steps:

1. Click on the New Return icon on the toolbar and the following dialog box is displayed:

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2. Enter the taxpayer’s SSN in the Social Security Number box.

3. Re-key the taxpayer’s SSN in the Confirm Social Security Number box.

If the SSN is already in use, TWO displays the following:

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If the SSN does not match, TWO displays the following:

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The TaxWise Online Interview

The TaxWise® Online Interview allows you to gather information that determines which tax forms must be included in each return. Based on the answers to the questions, the program will load needed tax forms and will determine when some additional information is needed.

Many questions require the user to make decisions using information already collected from the client through the Intake and Interview Process.

For example, after collecting necessary information from Form 13614-C, Intake/Interview &Quality Review Sheet and properly applying the tax law, you should choose your client’s filing status.

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Select the filing status for your client and click Next to continue or Previous to go back one

page.

• On each page you have the options of Next to continue or Previous to go back one page.

• The Help Me button displays a PDF of Publication 17, Filing Status Decision Tree.

Remember, information input into the interview screens flows through to all applicable tax

forms. For example, after you input the client’s social security number into this interview screen, TWO will automatically input the number into all necessary forms. [pic]

Some interview screens have preset answers that may need to be changed. For example, if this customer were permanently disabled, you would need to select the Yes option.

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Some interview screens have questions that require additional information. For example, answering Yes to this question about dependents causes a new screen to appear asking for more information about the dependent(s).

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This screen requires you to click an Edit button and input additional information about each dependent.

Clicking the Edit button causes this screen to appear. After collecting the Intake and Interview information from the client, it is imperative that you input all the required information correctly.[pic]

For example, the “Check if this child qualifies for EIC” box should be checked only after

carefully reviewing the applicable tax laws.

Do not forget to click the Save button after you enter all information about the dependent.

After completing all interview screens, finish preparing the return by inputting any additional

information directly into the tax return. Your screen will look something like the following:

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Remember, by using the interview process, you have input the majority of the information

needed to finish the return. You will need only to address issues that the software needs that

were not covered in the interview process.

Navigating the Tax Return

Color coding:

• Red underline—estimated entry/required

• Yellow underline - Calculated • Press TAB to navigate through screens

• Click Edit to enter Dependent Information • Black underline - direct input

• Blue underline - Overridden • Click Next to continue

Linking to a Form

To link to a supporting or additional form, you will click on the Link icon to access the window where you can select the form you need. For an example if your cursor is on Form 1040, line 7, click the Link icon to open the window to show any forms that will carry income to this line.

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In the screen shot below, the New button is the active window (lighter gray). Clicking on the Existing button will list any forms that are already associated with the active field (Form 1040, line 7).

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You can also use the Link icon to link worksheets or scratch pads to entries. For example,

while on Schedule A, line 1, the Link icon will open the window where you can select the

Itemized Deduction Detail Worksheet.

The TaxWise Online Tax Forms

Go to Tax Forms allows the preparer to complete the tax return using the forms-based method. This option is very similar to TaxWise® Desktop. Preparers complete the Main Information Sheet, open Form 1040, page 1, and add the appropriate forms as they go down Form 1040. The Forms Tree to the left of the return shows all the forms that are currently loaded for the active return. The icons next to the forms indicate whether a form has been loaded, is complete, needs completion, or is not used.

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To navigate the tax return, it is better to use the navigational buttons located above the Loaded Forms tree. The following describes these buttons when completing a return:

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The Refund Monitor, shown to the left of the return, displays the current AGI and the refund

amount or balance due for the active return. These figures change as return data is added.

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The Refund Monitor can be hidden from display by clicking the Show/Hide Details button:

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TaxWise Online Toolbar Icons

The following illustration shows the available toolbar icons when completing a return:

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Adding Forms to a Return

There are two ways to Add a Form to the active tax return:

• From the Loaded Forms tree, click the Add a Form icon, or

• Select the Forms List icon.

The following illustration shows the Add a Form window for “Show All Forms”:

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• Enter the Form Name, Form Number, or part of the form description in the

Search For box:

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• Select Go to search the Forms list.

• Select Clear to remove your search criteria.

• Click the Add link next to the appropriate form.

Additional Dependent Worksheet

If there are more than four dependents to list, enter the first four dependents on the Main

Information and the remaining dependents on the Additional Dependent Statement by linking

from the first dependent on page 1 of Form 1040.

• Nondependents must be listed on the Main Information Sheet—they cannot be listed on

the statement.

• Children who are qualifying children for EIC or Dependent Care must be listed on the

Main Information Sheet.

1. Click on the first name in the list.

2. Click on the Link icon.

The following illustration shows the Entry Links window:

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• Click on the New tab.

• The Entry Links window defaults to Existing forms.

• Click on the Add icon next to “Addl Deps – Form 1040 Line 6c”

The following illustration shows the Additional Dependent Worksheet:

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Note: There is no column for Dependent Care or Earned Income Credit.

Entering a W-2 Form

1. Open the W-2.

2. Select Taxpayer or Spouse.

If the address on the W-2 is different from the address on the main information sheet:

1. Select Check and make changes.

The following illustration shows the W-2 when ‘Check and make changes’ has been selected:

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Type the information as it appears on the W-2 in the address section. Do not enter punctuation in the address line.

The second address line is for foreign addresses only.

Turning the calculations off:

• Select Check to take calculations off of lines 3, 4, 5, and 6.

• Select Check to take calculations off of line 16, state wages.

The following illustration shows the W-2 when calculations have been turned off.

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• Enter the appropriate wages and withholding in the fields with blue underlines.

• Do not override and enter wages directly without checking the boxes to remove

calculations.

TaxWise Online Help

• From the Homepage or from inside a tax return, select the Help icon.

• TaxWise® Online Help opens in a separate browser window.

The following illustration shows the TaxWise® Online Help window:

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• Select the closed book icon to expand the contents of TaxWise® Online Help.

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• Select the appropriate topic line to display detailed help information.

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• Select the open book icon to close the topic.

• Enter keyword(s) in the Search box and click Go. This will display a list of choices that are in the Help file.

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State Help

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Click on the Help icon on the toolbar, this will link you to TaxWise® Homepage.

There are two links for state help on the homepage. Both will provide a direct link to the State website and the county code information.

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Running Diagnostics and Creating an Electronic File

• Select the Run Diagnostics icon for the active return.

• The following illustration shows the diagnostics details:

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• Correct all e-file errors.

• Select the Run Diagnostics icon again.

The following illustration shows the diagnostics details after all e-file errors have been corrected:

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• Select the Mark as Ready to E-file checkbox.

• Close the return.

• Complete this step prior to printing the return. This will print the DCN on Form 8879.

Printing the Active Tax Return

• The pop-up blocker must be disabled.

• Adobe Reader 7.0 or higher is required to print returns.

To print a return while you have the return open, you can click the task bar’s Print Return button. In the pop-up box, click on the Download PDF Return link.

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When you click on this link, you will see the File Download box shown below. Click the Open button on this box.

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Note: Be sure to select Open and not Save. Selecting Save will copy

to the computer the PDF which has sensitive taxpayer information

that is difficult to completely erase. Also, see TWO Printing Security

Requirements in Publication 3189 for important information.

Once the PDF file opens, you can select To Print by clicking on the Print Return icon on the task bar.

Note: This will print the entire return. To print a specific

page, identify the page number, change the print range,

and increase the number of copies for that page.

• Select Cancel to cancel the printing process.

Printing from the User Homepage

• Select the Print Return icon.

The following illustration shows the Print Returns dialog box:

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• Select the appropriate returns to print.

• Click on the Submit button.

• Click OK to confirm the selected returns to print.

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The following illustration shows the Get Document dialog box:

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• Select the appropriate Get Document link to display the PDF.

• After printing the appropriate returns, click the Close button.

Printing from the PDF file

The PDF file will include one completed copy of each completed form inside the tax return.

• Open the File menu.

• Select Print…

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The following illustration shows the Adobe Reader Print dialog box:

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Defaults to your Windows default printer.

Completing a Return in TaxWise

|1. Complete the applicable state forms. |• Quality Review. (The quality review can |

|2. Look in the tree for forms with red |be done either here or after printing.) |

|exclamation marks. |If errors are found, correct, rerun |

|• Open the form and look for red entries, |diagnostics, and recreate e-file. |

|then correct or complete. |7. Click the applicable box for TaxWise® or |

|• A red block with a zero in it does not |TWO. |

|necessarily prevent a return’s being |8. Print return, for e-file returns: |

|e-filed. If the diagnostic does not indicate |• For Practitioner PIN, 2 copies of Form |

|error, then it will not be a problem. Press |8879 are required. |

|F3 on the red block to remove the red. |• For Self-Select PIN, no additional form is |

|3. Check return. Press F7 to see the Tax |required. |

|Return Summary. |• If Form 8453 is used, 3 copies are |

|• Review with the taxpayer. Click OK to |required. |

|close the summary. |9. Collate return and review with the taxpayer. |

|• See balance-due issues and payments |10. For e-file return, use applicable approach: |

|later in this section. |• Practitioner PIN, obtain original signature |

|4. If e-filing, the taxpayer must select the PIN |on Form 8879 before transmission. |

|method. Return to the Main Information |• Self-Select PIN, taxpayer must enter PIN |

|Screen to complete the PIN information. |in TaxWise before transmission. |

|5. If the return is for paper filing, check that the |If the return is a joint return, advise the |

|Main Information Screen has Paper selected |taxpayer that it will not be electronically |

|for Type of return. Check that the state form |transmitted until both signatures or PINs, as |

|reflects the taxpayer choice as well. |applicable, are entered. |

|6. Run Diagnostics. |11. For a paper return, advise the taxpayer to: |

|• Hit F10 twice or right click “Diagnostics” |• Sign and date the return (federal and |

|or CTRL+D |state, if applicable). |

|• Review warnings to see if any changes |• Also have the spouse sign the return, if a |

|are needed. |joint return. |

|• If there are any filing errors, click the |• Attach copies of Form(s) W-2 and any |

|Next Entry button in mid-screen (the |Form(s) 1099 with withholding. |

|form to correct will be in the lower screen |• Attach a copy of the federal form(s), if |

|and cursor will be on error) and make the |applicable, to the state return. |

|necessary correction. When there is an |12. If a child cannot sign his or her name, the |

|error on a Form W-2, clicking Next Entry |parent or guardian can sign the child’s name |

|will display only the first Form W-2; if the |in the space provided followed by the words: |

|return has multiple Form(s) W-2, you |By (parent or guardian signature) parent or |

|may have to open them from the tree to |guardian for minor child. |

|find the error. Continue until all errors are |13. Follow Distributing Copies of Return shown |

|corrected. Rerun diagnostics. |later in this section. |

|• When there are no electronic errors, if |14. Complete site log, if applicable. |

|you want to e-file the return, click the | |

|e-file button (mid-screen), click OK (e-file | |

|created). Click Close to go back to tax return. | |

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