ALERT

Getting Help for ProSeries

• In-Product Tax Return Help: To get more information about a particular form or field in an open tax return go to the Help menu. Select Help Center and then select Tax Help, Government Instructions or Cross Reference.
• In-Product Program Help: To get more details about using a program function or feature go to the Help menu. Select Help Center and then select Program Help or User's Guide.
• In-Product ReadMe Information: After installing a product update view the ReadMe Information for that update to find out what issues are addressed in that release and if there are any non-final forms. Go to the Help menu and select Help Center. Under ReadMe Information select the appropriate ReadMe for that product.
• ProSeries Community: In the Live Community panel on the right side of the ProSeries window you can ask a peer a question and view questions and answers posted by other ProSeries users. Click Browse Online Community to view all postings.
• Online Knowledge Base: In the Live Community panel, click Search Online Help or visit ProSeries Support to search for articles that address specific questions and issues. You can also browse Quick Answers, Hot Topics, Popular Topics and Newest Topics. After searching the Knowledge Base, if you are unable to find the answer to your question click Still Need Help on the side panel of the Knowledge Base Search Results page to contact a support agent.

Answers to Common Questions

• How do I download and install products and updates?
• How do I transfer client files from ProSeries?
• How do I find my ProSeries data files?
• What does it mean if a form is marked NOT- FINAL or NON-FINAL?
• What does the error message "ProSeries failed to license due to an unexpected error... Error Code 4-1" mean?

To view more General topics visit Online Support.

• Recovery Rebate Credit
  If your client is claiming a Recovery Rebate Credit (RRC) make sure that the correct amount of "Stimulus Rebate received last year" is being used to calculate the RRC. The IRS has indicated that returns claiming the incorrect amount of RRC may experience delays of up to a week in the processing of their refund. For more information about the Recovery Rebate Credit calculation, please visit the following pages on the IRS Web site:
  • Recovery Rebate Credit Information Center
  • Questions and Answers about the Recovery Rebate Credit
  • Four Tips to Help Taxpayers Avoid Errors On the Recovery Rebate Credit
    
    
• Election to Use 2007 Earned Income for Midwestern Disaster Victims Smart Worksheet
  If your client was a victim in the Midwestern disaster area, your client may be eligible for special treatment regarding qualifying individuals and earned income. View KB Article



• What's New on the Old 1040 (Tax Year 2008)
  Several new tax laws enacted in 2008 drive changes in the Form 1040 you will soon be filing for clients. And some tax law changes in prior years have delayed effects that show up for the first time on the 2008 form. In short, it's a good time to see what's new on the old 1040. View Tax Article



• Help Clients Take a Fresh Look at Estimated Taxes and Withholding
  For many of your clients, the economic downturn may be putting their income outlook for 2009 into a tailspin. You can help your clients by pointing out that their changed income situation may require a fresh look at their tax situation. View Tax Article

To view more Federal Tax topics visit Online Support.

• Online E-File Status Lookup Feature
  Reminder, you can view the status of your e-file returns online. Login to your My ProSeries account and click Client E-File Status on the My ProSeries overview page. To view the status of your electronically filed returns, simply select the filter criteria, then click the Submit button.

Santa Barbara Bank & Trust (SBBT) Users

• Remember to Transmit Check Status Information
  After printing a Santa Barbara Bank and Trust (SBBT) bank product check, it is very important that you transmit the check status information back to SBBT. View KB Article



• Checking the Status of a Bank Products RAL or RT
  You can check the status of bank products within the ProSeries software or on the SBBT Web site. View KB Article



• Santa Barbara Bank and Trust Notices for Tax Year 2008
  Santa Barbara Bank and Trust (SBBT) notices for Tax Year 2008 are now available on our EF Atlas.

To view more Federal E-File and Bank Products Software topics visit Online Support or EF Atlas.

• Taxpayers in Four States File with Different Centers this Year
  On January 21, 2009, the IRS issued News Release IR-2009-7, announcing that taxpayers in Delaware, Illinois, New York and Rhode Island who file paper income tax returns will send them to different processing centers this year. Taxpayers in Delaware, New York and Rhode Island will now send their tax returns to the IRS Kansas City Service Center in Kansas City, Mo. Taxpayers in Illinois will now send their tax returns to the IRS Fresno Service Center, in Fresno, Calif. For more information, please visit the IRS Web site.

• Georgia Form 500 with Qualified Education Expense Credit Should Not Be E-Filed
  Georgia Form 500, Individual Income Tax Return, with credit type code 125, Qualified Education Credit, on Schedule 2, lines 5-8 should not be electronically filed, since the qualifying documentation cannot also be electronically filed. These returns along with the appropriate documentation should be paper filed. View KB Article

• New York Form CT-8 Eliminated
  The state of New York has eliminated Form CT-8, Claim for Credit or Refund of Corporation Tax Paid, therefore ProSeries will not be supporting this form for TY08. View KB Article

• What is State Only electronic filing?
• How to Electronically File an Individual State Return by Itself (State-Only)

To view more State Tax and State E-File topics visit Online Support or EF Atlas.