Does the tax preparer's ink signature have to be on the tax return I send out?

Paying for College
1

<p>The printout of our e-filed tax return already has his electronic signature (just his first and last name typed into the signature slot). Should we get him to sign manually next to it? Do colleges care?</p>

2

<p>Printed name is good enough for the IRS. Legally it’s the same as a manual signature for the requirement that paid preparers sign their returns.</p>

3

<p>So the college financial aid offices will be cool with it</p>

4

<p>I’m assuming you’re talking about copies to be sent to the colleges or IDOC, since it was already e-filed. (For e-filed returns, both you and the preparer needed to sign form 8879, which is kept in the paid preparer’s files). If it was a copy meant to be mailed in to the IRS, the paid preparer would in fact need to sign the return in the space provided.</p>

<p>I doubt the college really cares about the paid preparer’s signature. They care about yours, because you are the one asking for aid, and attesting that it is your return.</p>

5

<p>Thank you, that’s what I thought, just wanted to make sure. I do have a copy of form 8879, but I don’t need to include it in the IDOC packet, right?</p>

6

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</p>

<p>No longer the case. The preparer’s computer-printed or stamped signature is treated the same as a manual signature for paper-filed income tax returns. The change happened 2-3 years ago.</p>

<p>For some reason, payroll tax returns (941 / 940 series) still require manual preparer signatures.</p>