IRS Extends E-Signature Acceptance
Electronic signatures will be allowed on certain tax forms signed and postmarked by June 30, 2021.
The Internal Revenue Service announced Dec. 11 it would be extending its tempoarary acceptance of electronic signatures on certain tax forms signed and postmarked by June 30, 2021. Originally, the program was to end at the end of 2020.
The memorandum per Sunita Lough, IRS deputy commissioner for services and enforcement, stated that due to COVID-19, “the agency wants to reduce in-person contact.
Further, taxpayer representatives have voiced their concerns, so “to alleviate these concerns while promoting timely filing, we are implementing deviation from [the original] memorandum that allows taxpayers and representatives to use electronic or digital signatures when signing [various forms] that currently require a handwritten signature,” she said.
The agency also said “no specific technology is required for this purpose during this temporary deviation,” the memo said.
These are some of the forms within the program, although not all:
- Form 1066, U.S. Income Tax Return for Real Estate Mortgage Investment Conduit;
- Form 706 and 706-NA, U.S. Estate (and Generation-Skipping Transfer) Tax Return,
- Form 709, U.S. Gift (and Generation-Skipping Transfer) Tax Return,
- Form 1120-REIT, U. S. Income Tax Return for Real Estate Investment Trust
- Form 8038 series, pertaining to tax-exempt bonds
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