Tuesday, January 31, 2017

Today is the Last Day to E-file These Information Returns!

Heads up, information return filers!

In case you haven’t heard, today’s a pretty big deadline for 1099 and W-2 filers.

W-2 Forms
As we mentioned a time or two before, the filing deadline for all W-2 Forms for the 2016 tax year is January 31, 2017. This means:
  • W-2 Forms to your recipients must be postmarked and sent today.
  • W-2 Forms to be filed with the Social Security Administration need to be filed on paper or electronically today.
If you still need to get started, there’s no time to waste. Read on to see how ExpressIRSForms can help!

1099 Forms
1099 Form filers who haven’t begun filing for the 2016 tax year yet may be in slightly less dire straits - if they fall in the right categories. Regardless of the 1099, you need to file or what you need to report on it, the recipient copies must be mailed out today, January 31, 2017.

And if you need to file Form 1099-MISC to report nonemployee compensation in box 7, you must file Copy A of Form 1099-MISC with the IRS today. You may also be required to file a copy of this form with your state today as well.

E-filing with ExpressIRSForms
ExpressIRSForms is the perfect place for last-minute filing. Not only do we begin the IRS e-filing process as soon as you hit transmit (ensuring you that pre-11:59 p.m. timestamp that marks your return on time), we’ll also print, stamp, and mail your recipient copies!

Now, we can only guarantee your recipient copies go out today if you get them in by 11:00 a.m. EST today. But we are pulling extra hours to provide the support you need so get them in as soon as you can anyway.

Speaking of support, if you have any questions as we get down to the wire, we’re here and we’re open late. Give us a call at (704) 684-4751 or send us a live chat and we’ll do our best to help you get everything filed on time. And, as always, you can also send us an email to support@ExpressIRSForms.com and we’ll make sure you get a speedy response!


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Thursday, January 26, 2017

Get to Know the 1099s You Can E-file with ExpressIRSForms


1099 Forms
If you’re looking to file a 1099 Form, then look no further because you’ve come to just the right place! ExpressIRSForms is a leader in the 1099 e-filing industry and provides stress-free, IRS-authorized e-filing.

Form 1099 has a few important deadlines coming up now that the 2016 tax filing season is in full swing. Recipient copies of Form 1099 must be postmarked and mailed to your recipients by January 31, 2017. If you’re paper filing, you’ll need to have your forms to the IRS by February 28, 2017. If you’re going the easier route and e-filing, you have until March 31, 2017.

So now that you know when to file, check out your options for filing Form 1099 with ExpressIRSForms:

Form 1099-MISC
Form 1099-MISC is used to report miscellaneous income received by an individual for services other than a wage-paying job. In other words, this form is used to report payments rendered to non-employees, like sub-contractors, renters, prize winners, etc.

Those filing Form 1099-MISC this year for the 2016 tax year will need to pay special attention to its new deadline. If you’re filing Form 1099-MISC to report non-employee compensation in box 7, the form is due to your recipient and the IRS by January 31, 2017.

Form 1099-INT
Form 1099-INT is used to report payments on interest income of $10 or more. Generally, this form is filed by banks or financial, mutual fund, or government institutions. There are certain exemptions for Form 1099-INT, however. You’re exempt from filing one for payments made to payees that are
  • US agencies or states or possessions, including Washington, D.C.
  • Corporations or tax-exempt organizations
  • Archer MSA or Medicare Advantage MSA
  • Health savings accounts (HSA) or Individual Retirement Accounts (IRA)
  • Registered securities or commodities dealers, nominees or custodians, brokers, or notional principal contract (swap) dealers

Form 1099-DIV
Form 1099-DIV is for dividends and distributions. It’s provided to investors by bankers and other financial institutions to report dividends and other distributions, like capital gains and exempt-interest dividends, of over $10 to payees and the IRS. There are only two exceptions for filing Form 1099-DIV and they are:
  • Taxable dividend distributions from life insurance contracts and employee stock ownership plans. These distributions should be reported on Form 1099-R.
  • Payments received by a broker resulting from a loan of a customer’s securities, which are reported on Form 1099-DIV.

Form 1099-R
Form 1099-R is used to report distributions from pensions, annuities, retirement or profit-sharing plans, IRAs, insurance contracts, etc. of $10 or more during the year. Most public and private pension plans not included in the Civil Service System can use Form 1099-R to report as well. Additionally Form 1099-R can be used to report certain death benefit payments from employers and disability payments from retirement plans.

Can’t Forget the Corrections
While we have every feature in place to ensure your filing is error-free the first time around, it never hurts to have back-ups. That’s why we also offer e-filing for Form 1099 corrections. And even if you didn’t initially file with us, you can still file corrections easily with ExpressIRSForms.

Corrections should be filed as soon as you notice the error or receive word that the IRS did. There are two types of corrections that can be made:
  • Type 1: incorrect tax amount(s), code, checkbox, payee name, or to void a return.
  • Type 2: missing/incorrect payee TIN, incorrect name or address, or the return was filed on the wrong form.

Form 1096
Typically, when Form 1099 is sent to the IRS via postal mail, a transmittal Form 1096 must accompany it. When you e-file, Form 1096 isn’t required. However, since you may need a copy for your records, when you e-file with ExpressIRSForms, we generate a copy based on the forms you file, which you can access in your account’s print center at any time.


For questions about e-filing any of these forms, please don’t hesitate to reach out to our customer support team. We’re available by phone (704-684-4751) and live chat Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. EST. We also provide 24/7 assistance at support@ExpressIRSForms.com!

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Tuesday, January 24, 2017

How to E-file Form W-2 with ExpressIRSForms


That W-2 Form deadline is just a week away so if you haven’t already filed, it’s definitely the time to start looking into doing so!

Luckily, you’ve landed upon ExpressIRSForms, one of the best places for fashionably late filers. We’re an IRS-authorized e-file provider, and our program’s built with tons of features to help you get your W-2 filing done easily and quickly - sometimes in as little as just a few minutes!

So how does it work? Keep reading, and we’ll tell ya!

First, if you don’t have an ExpressIRSForms account, you’ll need to create one. Just go to www.ExpressIRSForms.com and click the “Register” button in the upper right hand corner. Fill out your basic information on this page:


And click “Create Account.” You can also use the Facebook or Google registration options at the bottom of the page.

Once you’re logged in, click the big orange “Start New Form” button on your Dashboard. Then you’ll see this window appear:


Go ahead and click the “W-2” button to continue to the next screen. From here, you’ll enter your employer details, including the name, EIN, address, and contact info. Once you’ve filled out this data, click “Next” for another pop-up that’ll ask you how you’d like to enter your employee information:


If you only have a few employees to file for, you can choose to enter their information individually. Or, if you have tons of employees and want to enter all their data at once, you can select the Multi-Data Upload option to bulk upload your info.

Once you’ve entered in your employees’ basic and financial information that’s needed for the W-2 Forms, you’ll be taken to a summary screen where you can view each of your W-2s to confirm they’re ready for filing. From this screen, you can also add more forms for this employer or even add another employer to file W-2 Forms for before you complete your filing.

After you’ve confirmed everything is accurate, click the “Continue” button to go to the next step, which is the “Choose Services” page. When you e-file with ExpressIRSForms, your forms are automatically e-filed with the federal agency they’re required to go to - in this case, the Social Security Administration. By clicking the “Choose Plan” icons on this page, you’ll be able to decide if you’d like to include state filing and postal mailing with your order as well:


Just an FYI - postal mailing means we’ll print and mail your recipient copies for you the very next business day after you order!

Once your order looks complete, click “Continue” to move along in the payment process. Review your order details on the next screen and click “Continue” again. Before you can e-file, you’ll need to enter your credit card details to pay our one-time transmittal fee to send your files along to the appropriate agencies.

Enter your credit card info, click “Continue,” then click the green “Transmit” button on the next page and your done! Your forms are sent and your stress levels should be no more worse for the wear!

If you have any questions during your filing process, you can always reach out to our customer support team. We’re here to help anytime! Give us a call at (704) 684-4751 or send us a live chat during our office hours, Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. EST. If you miss us during these hours, you can always send us an email to support@ExpressIRSForms and we’ll reply within a few hours!



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Thursday, January 19, 2017

How to File Form 1099-R with ExpressIRSForms

Did you know that you can E-file 1099-R with ExpressIRSForms??

Well you can!

What’s Form 1099-R?

Form 1099-R is the form used to report distributions from pensions, annuities, retirement or profit-sharing plans, IRAs, insurance contracts, etc. If distributions of $10 or more were paid from one of these sources to an individual during the calendar year, it must be reported on Form 1099-R to the IRS and to the individual receiving the funds.

Most public and private pension plans not included in the Civil Service System can use Form 1099-R to report distributions as well. Filers can also use Form 1099-R to report certain death benefit payments from employers and disability payments from retiring plans.

When Does it Need to be Filed?

Like other 1099 Forms, Form 1099-R needs to be filed with the IRS the year following the tax year the distribution payments were made. So for the 2016 tax year, the deadlines for when 1099-R Forms need to be turned in are:
  • January 31, 2017, for recipient copies to be mailed out.
  • February 28, 2017, for IRS copies to be mailed, if paper filing.
  • March 31, 2017, for IRS copies to be transmitted, if e-filing.
And also like with other 1099 Forms, the Form 1099-R IRS deadline can be extended for 30 days by applying for an extension with Form 8809.

How to E-file Form 1099-R with ExpressIRSForms

Of course, one of the easiest ways to file Form 1099-R is with ExpressIRSForms! Simply log into your account and select the “Create New Form” button. Choose the 1099-R option and fill in the information needed to complete the form. Then, you’ll review your completed form(s), pay a one-time transmittal fee, and e-file your form(s) directly with the IRS. Easy peasy!

And if you select postal mailing when you check out, we’ll even send your payee copies out to your recipients for you by the next business day!

If you have any questions about getting started (or) e-filing your 1099-R Form with the IRS, don’t hesitate to reach out to us! We offer live customer support by phone (704-684-4751) and chat Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. EST. We also offer 24/7 assistance at support@ExpressIRSForms.com!

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Tuesday, January 17, 2017

There are Only TWO Weeks Left to File Form W-2!


Alright, guys, January 31 is two weeks away and you know what that means:

You have two weeks left to file your W-2 Forms for employees you paid in 2016.

As we mentioned before, the deadline for all W-2 Forms to be in the hands they need to be (your employees’ and the SSA’s), in any format (paper or e-filing), is January 31, 2017. The Social Security Administration changed the deadline at the end of last year to apply beginning in 2017 with the 2016 tax year.

To spell it out for you, this means that
  • Your employee copies of Form W-2 must be mailed out by January 31, and
  • Your SSA paper copies of Form W-2 must be mailed out by January 31, or
  • Your SSA electronic copies of Form W-2 must be e-filed by January 31.

You may still have time to file an extension form (Form 8809), but keep in mind that it’s no longer automatic and you’re required to have a reason for needing more time to file. So you can apply, but if your extension is denied, you’ll still need to have your W-2 Forms in by January 31. Even if your extension is approved, this only applies for your time to file with the SSA, not for your time to get your employee copies out.

Of course, the quickest and easiest way to file your W-2 Forms and get your employee copies out is to do everything with ExpressIRSForms!

With ExpressIRSForms, you can easily and quickly enter in your W-2 information (either individually or with our bulk upload), then our program creates the IRS-authorized forms you need. Once you review that everything is entered correctly, just pay our one-time e-filing fee and securely e-file your forms directly with the SSA. And if you select postal mailing before you check out, we’ll mail your forms to your employees for you! By the next business day, we’ll print IRS-authorized copies of Form W-2 to send off to the employees for whom you filed.

In other words, just spending a few minutes on ExpressIRSForms could get all of your W-2 Form filing completely done!

If you have any questions about getting started, don’t hesitate to reach out to our customer support team! We’re available by phone (704-684-4751) and live chat Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. EST and offer 24/7 assistance at support@ExpressIRSForms.com.


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Thursday, January 12, 2017

EIF Reminder: The W-2 Extension Form is NOT Automatic!

We mentioned something about this way back in September, but so much has happened since then, we figured you may need a refresher!

Those of you filing the form W-2 required for the 2016 tax season this month who may need to utilize Form 8809 for 30-day extensions should know that this extension of time to file is no longer automatic for W-2 returns.

Of course, you can still apply for an extension of time to file your W-2 Forms. Just keep in mind that this form must be turned in before the January 31 deadline. And if your application is rejected, you’ll still need to have your W-2 Forms in by that January 31st deadline.

You are required to provide a reason for why you need to file. And remember that the SSA only allows extensions “in extraordinary circumstances (or) catastrophe.”

Additionally, to extend Form W-2 returns, Form 8809 must be submitted on paper this year. Mail it to:

Internal Revenue Service
Attn: Extension of Time Coordinator
240 Murall Drive
Mail Stop 4360
Kearneysville, WV 25430

Whether or not you need an extension, you can easily e-file W-2 Forms with ExpressIRSForms! All you have to do is create an account, fill in your W-2 information, pay, and transmit them directly to the IRS. Easy-peasy. And, hey, we’ll even mail your employee copies out for you if you select the postal mailing option before you e-file.

And if you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to our all-star customer support team. They’re available by phone (704-684-4751) and live chat Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. EST, and available by email 24/7 at support@ExpressIRSForms.com.


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Tuesday, January 10, 2017

There's Just One Month Left for Certain Payers to File Form 1099-MISC

If you’re reporting non-employee compensation in box 7 of Form 1099-MISC for the 2016 tax year, the time to act is now!

In just a few short weeks, the deadline for Form 1099-MISC for those reporting non-employee compensation will be here: January 31, 2017.

According to the 2016 general instructions put out by the IRS for Forms 1097, 1098, 1099, 3921, 3922, 5498, and W-2G, “Public Law 114-119, Division Q, section 201, requires 1099-MISC to be filed on or before January 31, 2017, when you are reporting nonemployee compensation payments in box 7. Otherwise, file by February 28, 2017, if you file on paper, or by March 31, 2017, if you file electronically.”

The recipient copy deadline for this form will remain the same. That means everyone, regardless of what they’re reporting on Form 1099-MISC, will need to have recipient copies mailed out by January 31, 2017.

You can get all of this done at once - and on time! - when you e-file 1099-MISC with ExpressIRSForms. We’re open for 2016 filing business, so once you sign up, all you need to do is fill in your 1099-MISC information and submit it securely through our IRS-authorized e-filing system. Before you send everything off, check the option to indicate you want us to mail your recipient copies for you, and we’ll send them out by the next business day.

So what are you waiting for? It’s time to get filing!

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact our customer support team! We’re available Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. EST, by phone (704-684-4751) and live chat, and we provide email assistance 24/7 at support@ExpressIRSForms.com.

And be sure to check back here for more info about filing changes and how to complete your filing with ExpressIRSForms!


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Tuesday, January 3, 2017

ExpressIRSForms Presents: QuickBooks® Integration for 1099-MISC Forms!

The gifts just keep on giving here at ExpressIRSForms: in addition to Xero integration, we now also offer QuickBooks® integration for 1099-MISC Form filers!

Similar to our Xero integration, if you connect your QuickBooks® account with ExpressIRSForms, our program can securely access only the data needed to complete your 1099-MISC Forms. Then, all you need to do is enter the current year’s financial data in each 1099-MISC, review your return, and e-file it directly with the IRS! Simple, right?

So simple, we’ll show you how now:
  • Log into your ExpressIRSForms account.
  • Click on “Start New Form”.
  • Select the “1099-MISC” button next to the QuickBooks® logo.
  • Make sure to review the necessary steps for completing your 1099-MISC return via QuickBooks® integration.
  • Click the “QB Connect” button.
  • Sign into your QuickBooks® account to authorize the connection to ExpressIRSForms.
  • In your QuickBooks® account, select the company or payer for whom you want to file and click “Authorize”.
  • Confirm the payer information and add any missing data to your forms back in your ExpressIRSForms account.
  • Review your forms, pay, and transmit!

Simple as that! But if you have any questions at all regarding integration with your ExpressIRSForms account or e-filing your 1099-MISC Forms, just let us know! Our support team is here by phone (704-684-4751) and live chat Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. EST, and available 24/7 at support@ExpressIRSForms.com.


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