Frequently Asked Questions

Answers to the most commonly asked customer service questions are given below. For other information, email us at customer.service@efiletaxreturns.com.

Refunds
When will I get my refund?
Check the status of your refund at the IRS site link "Where's My Refund?" You will need you social security number, filing status and refund amount. You can check on your state refund by looking for a similar link on their site.

Why is my refund less than the amount on my return?
Only the IRS can explain the reason the amount sent is less than you expected. We are not advised if a refund is delayed or adjusted. You can call the IRS at 800 829-1040.

Checking on your return
eFile Status
Information on your exile status and copies of accepted returns are available to you on your Dashboard page. Log in AT ANY TIME and click on Check exile Status to see if your return is Waiting for Acknowledgment, Accepted, or Rejected. If it's rejected, you'll see the reason and be able to make the needed corrections.

How long does it take to find out if my return is accepted?
Most of the time, returns are acknowledged by the IRS within 24-48 hours. Occasionally, there are delays. If it has been more than 5-6 days since your return was submitted, and no acknowledgement has posted, please contact us through secure email for your account (see the link on your Dashboard page under Account Maintenance) and we will make sure someone is working to resolve the delay.

How will you notify me when my return is accepted by the IRS?
We send out an email to the address on record when we receive an acknowledgement regarding your return. The message will tell you to return to the site to check your status. We sometimes hear that these emails are not received. Add our email address customer.service@efiletaxreturns.com to your address book, to minimize the chance this will happen to you. Also, check your email address carefully to be sure you reported it to us accurately. We don't confirm the status directly to your email box, out of concern for your privacy. Please note that you are free to log in at any time to check your efile status. We encourage you to do so.

My return is accepted, but I need to fix something. What should I do?
Once a return is accepted, it is not possible to change any information except by filing an amendment. If your federal return needs to be corrected, you need to file Form 1040X. That form can't be efiled.
We have the software to prepare form 1040X for returns that were filed from our site. See your Dashboard page for the link. We do not have the ability to offer you software for correcting state returns. See the website for your state to find information on correcting your state return.

I started my return on your system, but have decided not to use it to file my return. How can I remove my personal information?
We routinely remove information on incomplete returns from the site. You don't have to make any special request to make that happen. While it is in the system, your information will be held subject to the privacy policy used for all our users, and will be afforded the same level of security.

Is my return correct?
See our Calculation Guarantee for our commitment to calculate your tax correctly. Our site is available to anyone wishing to prepare and file a federal tax return. It is the user, as the tax preparer, who takes responsibility for the accuracy of the data entered in the program. We assume that users who submit their returns for filing are satisfied that their returns are accurate and complete.
We make the following resources available to users before the return is filed:

Tax Summary page: Review this page to be sure all your income is reported, all dependents are listed, and credits and deductions you anticipated are listed.

Draft copy of Form 1040/1040A/1040EZ: Click on the icon on your Tax Summary page to get a preview of your completed tax form.

Email help at customer.service@efiletaxreturns.com: We are committed to answering your email inquiries within 24 hours.

Quick Link to IRS.gov: IRS instructions and Tax Topics can help you complete your return correctly. You can also call IRS agents at 800 829-1040 for answers to your tax questions.

FAQ page: look for quick answers to the most common customer service questions here.

Signing your eFiled return
To sign your return and confirm your identity to the IRS, you will sign your return by entering the current date, your birth date, a self-selected PIN, and either your prior year AGI or your prior year self-selected PIN.
This year, the IRS will require that every eFiled return be signed by choosing a self-selected PIN that is validated by providing the taxpayer's prior year AGI or prior year self-selected PIN.

What is AGI?
AGI stands for Adjusted Gross Income. This is your total income, less certain adjustments the IRS allows, such as Student Loan Interest or IRA contributions. It does NOT include reductions for your standard or itemized deductions, or personal exemptions. You will find that number on Line 4 of your 1040EZ, Line 21 of your 1040A, or Line 37 of your 1040. If you didn't file a return last year, your AGI is -0-.

What is a Self-Selected PIN?
A self-selected PIN allows you to complete your eFiling without sending any paper documents to the IRS!
You choose a PIN number, (any 5 digits, but not all zeros) and confirm your identity to the IRS by providing your AGI (Adjusted Gross Income) or your self-selected PIN from your prior year tax return. The IRS WILL NOT ACCEPT YOU RETURN IF THE PRIOR YEAR AGI or PRIOR YEAR PIN YOU PROVIDE DOES NOT MATCH THEIR RECORDS. Be sure you have your prior year return available, or call the IRS at 800-829-1040 to ask what the figure is, before you submit your return. A mismatch on this number is by far the most common reason for rejection of an eFiled return. A rejection will delay your refund, and require you to correct and resubmit your return.

Paying your tax due

Paying your federal tax due
How do I pay my tax due?
When you enter your filing instructions, you'll be asked if you wish to pay your federal tax due by authorizing a direct debit to your paper check, bank account, or credit card.
Mailing your paper check: your voucher will be available to print with your other tax documents, after your return is accepted. Print the voucher, write your social security number on your payment, and mail them together to the address on the voucher.
Pay by ACH Debit: This allows the IRS to charge the tax due directly from your bank account. There is no additional fee for this payment method. You will need your bank account number and routing number. Before April 15, you may enter an authorization date for the charge as late as April 15. After April 15, you must authorize the charge for the current date. Confirm payment is made with your bank. We are not notified if incorrect bank account numbers or other problems cause a payment to fail.
Pay by credit card: Additional fees apply for this service. You can use your Master Card, Discover Card, or American Express to pay your federal income tax due. Visa does not participate. To have your tax due paid by credit card, you will enter your credit card information, the date you authorize payment, and the amount. A third party will handle the charge to your account, and you will be charged a fee. The fee will show up as a separate charge on your credit card bill. Payment of the tax due will show as a payment to the U.S. Treasury. Although your authorization to pay will be made before you submit your tax return, the payment will not be processed until the IRS accepts the tax return. As a result, you may find a hold for the amount of payment you authorized is established on your account between the time you submit the return and the IRS accepts the return and processes the payment.

What if my return is not accepted, and my payment vouchers are not available?
You can pull up a blank version of the voucher from the IRS, or your state website. Click here for Form 1040V.

Paying state tax due
Paying by paper check is an option for all states. Your voucher will be available for printing as soon as your return is accepted. Not all states have the ability to accept instructions to pay tax due by ACH Debit (a direct charge to your bank account) with your tax return. Where possible, we include the option to authorize a direct debit of your bank account to pay state taxes due. We do not have the ability to offer credit card payment for your state tax due. Check with your state's taxing authority's website for options other than mailing your check, if you don't see the payment method you prefer offered when you file.

Printing
You must have a current version of Adobe Reader on your system to open and print copies of your tax return. You can download the program for free from Adobe.com.
To access your forms, log on to your Dashboard page, and click on the link Print Tax Return Forms. Select each form and open the pdf file. Then print the form. We encourage all users to print and keep copies of their returns. Your forms will be available from the site until the end of the filing season, in October. Be sure you have a printed or electronic copy in a safe place before then!
I'm having trouble printing. What should I do?
Sometimes users find they can print if they first save the file to their desktop, and then select it from the desktop to print. Often, the easiest way to solve printing problems is simply to access the return from another PC system, and print your return from there.
Mac users: Users with Mac systems sometimes find they open the pdf files, but find all the amounts missing from the forms. If you have Adobe Photoshop, use that program to open the pdf file. Often, the simplest way around the difficulty is to access the file from a PC system, and print from there.
I don't have a printer. How can I get copies?
Paper copies of your return can be sent to you, but there is a charge. Click on "Other Things You Can Do" on your Dashboard to request and pay for paper copies to be sent to you. You can also request that copies be faxed to you. And remember, your account with us can be accessed from any computer with internet access. If you don't have a printer on your computer at home, you can log into your file from the library, work or a friend's house, and print from there.
I just sent my return. Why can't I print it?
We make your printed copies available AFTER your return is accepted. We do this so that we can be sure that the copy you have in your possession matches the information the IRS accepts.

How do I know my information is secure?
Transmission of all information to or from us within your tax return is encrypted. We maintain physical and electronic security measures to protect your personal information.