Page 18 - 2020 Publication 17

14:38 - 19-Jan-2021
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Fileid: … ations/P17/2020/A/XML/Cycle03/source
The type and rule above prints on all proofs including departmental reproduction proofs. MUST be removed before printing.
or typed-font signatures are not valid signatures If the preparer is self-employed (that is, not Overpayment less than one dollar. If your
for Forms 1040 or 1040-SR filed on paper. employed by any person or business to prepare overpayment is less than one dollar, you won't
If you electronically file your return, you can the return), he or she should check the self-em- get a refund unless you ask for it in writing.
use an electronic signature to sign your return in ployed box in the “Paid Preparer Use Only” Cashing your refund check. Cash your tax
accordance with the requirements contained in space on the return. refund check soon after you receive it. Checks
the instructions for your return. The preparer must give you a copy of your expire the last business day of the 12th month
Failure to sign your return in accordance return in addition to the copy filed with the IRS. of issue.
with these requirements may prevent you from If you prepare your own return, leave this If your check has expired, you can apply to
obtaining a refund. area blank. If another person prepares your re- the IRS to have it reissued.
Enter your occupation. If you file a joint re- turn and doesn't charge you, that person
turn, enter both your occupation and your spou- shouldn't sign your return. Refund more or less than expected. If you
se's occupation. If you have questions about whether a pre- receive a check for a refund you aren’t entitled
When someone can sign for you. You can parer must sign your return, contact any IRS of- to, or for an overpayment that should have been
credited to estimated tax, don't cash the check.
fice.
appoint an agent to sign your return if you are: Call the IRS.
1. Unable to sign the return because of dis- Refunds If you receive a check for more than the re-
ease or injury, fund you claimed, don't cash the check until you
2. Absent from the United States for a contin- When you complete your return, you will deter- receive a notice explaining the difference.
uous period of at least 60 days before the mine if you paid more income tax than you If your refund check is for less than you
due date for filing your return, or owed. If so, you can get a refund of the amount claimed, it should be accompanied by a notice
explaining the difference. Cashing the check
3. Given permission to do so by the IRS of- you overpaid or you can choose to apply all or doesn't stop you from claiming an additional
fice in your area. part of the overpayment to your next year's amount of refund.
(2021) estimated tax.
Power of attorney. A return signed by an If you didn't receive a notice and you have
agent in any of these cases must have a power If you choose to have a 2020 overpay- any questions about the amount of your refund,
ment applied to your 2021 estimated
of attorney (POA) attached that authorizes the ! tax, you can’t change your mind and you should wait 2 weeks. If you still haven’t re-
agent to sign for you. You can use a POA that have any of it refunded to you after the due date ceived a notice, call the IRS.
CAUTION
states that the agent is granted authority to sign (without extensions) of your 2020 return. Offset against debts. If you are due a refund
the return, or you can use Form 2848. Part I of but haven’t paid certain amounts you owe, all or
Form 2848 must state that the agent is granted Follow the Instructions for Forms 1040 and part of your refund may be used to pay all or
authority to sign the return. 1040-SR to complete the entries to claim your part of the past-due amount. This includes
Court-appointed conservator, guardian, or refund and/or to apply your overpayment to past-due federal income tax, other federal
your 2021 estimated tax.
other fiduciary. If you are a court-appointed debts (such as student loans), state income tax,
conservator, guardian, or other fiduciary for a If your refund for 2020 is large, you child and spousal support payments, and state
mentally or physically incompetent individual TIP may want to decrease the amount of unemployment compensation debt. You will be
who has to file a tax return, sign your name for income tax withheld from your pay in notified if the refund you claimed has been off-
the individual. File Form 56. 2021. See chapter 4 for more information. set against your debts.
Unable to sign. If the taxpayer is mentally Instead of getting a pa- Joint return and injured spouse. When a
competent but physically unable to sign the re- DIRECT DEPOSIT per check, you may be joint return is filed and only one spouse owes a
Simple. Safe. Secure.
turn or POA, a valid “signature” is defined under able to have your refund deposited directly into past-due amount, the other spouse can be con-
state law. It can be anything that clearly indi- your checking or savings account, including an sidered an injured spouse. An injured spouse
cates the taxpayer's intent to sign. For example, individual retirement arrangement (IRA). Follow should file Form 8379, Injured Spouse Alloca-
the taxpayer's “X” with the signatures of two wit- the Instructions for Forms 1040 and 1040-SR to tion, if both of the following apply and the
nesses might be considered a valid signature request direct deposit. If the direct deposit can’t spouse wants a refund of his or her share of the
under a state's law. be done, the IRS will send a check instead. overpayment shown on the joint return.
Spouse unable to sign. If your spouse is un- Don't request a deposit of any part of your 1. You aren’t legally obligated to pay the
able to sign for any reason, see Signing a joint refund to an account that isn't in your name. past-due amount.
return in chapter 2. Don't allow your tax preparer to deposit any part 2. You made and reported tax payments
Child's return. If a child has to file a tax return of your refund into his or her account. The num- (such as federal income tax withheld from
but can’t sign the return, the child's parent, ber of direct deposits to a single account or pre- your wages or estimated tax payments), or
claimed a refundable tax credit (see the
guardian, or another legally responsible person paid debit card is limited to three refunds a
must sign the child's name, followed by the year. After this limit is exceeded, paper checks credits listed under Who Should File, ear-
lier).
words “By (your signature), parent for minor will be sent instead. Learn more at IRS.gov/
child.” Individuals/Direct-Deposit-Limits. Note. If the injured spouse's residence was
IRA. You can have your refund (or part of it) di- in a community property state at any time dur-
Paid Preparer rectly deposited to a traditional IRA, Roth IRA, ing the tax year, special rules may apply. See
or SEP-IRA, but not a SIMPLE IRA. You must the Instructions for Form 8379.
Generally, anyone you pay to prepare, assist in establish the IRA at a bank or financial institu- If you haven’t filed your joint return and you
preparing, or review your tax return must sign it tion before you request direct deposit. know that your joint refund will be offset, file
and fill in the other blanks, including their Pre- Form 8379 with your return. You should receive
parer Tax Identification Number (PTIN), in the TreasuryDirect®. You can request a deposit your refund within 14 weeks from the date the
paid preparer's area of your return. of your refund to a TreasuryDirect® online ac- paper return is filed or within 11 weeks from the
count to buy U.S. Treasury marketable securi-
Many preparers are required to e-file the tax date the return is filed electronically.
returns they prepare. They sign these e-filed re- ties and savings bonds. For more information, If you filed your joint return and your joint re-
go to http://go.usa.gov/3KvcP.
turns using their tax preparation software. How- fund was offset, file Form 8379 by itself. When
ever, you can choose to have your return com- Split refunds. If you choose direct deposit, filed after offset, it can take up to 8 weeks to re-
pleted on paper if you prefer. In that case, the you may be able to split the refund and have it ceive your refund. Don't attach the previously
paid preparer can sign the paper return man- deposited among two or three accounts or buy filed tax return, but do include copies of all
ually or use a rubber stamp or mechanical de- up to $5,000 in paper series I savings bonds. Forms W-2 and W-2G for both spouses and
vice. The preparer is personally responsible for Complete Form 8888 and attach it to your re- any Forms 1099 that show income tax withheld.
affixing his or her signature to the return. turn. The processing of Form 8379 may be delayed if
Page 14 Chapter 1 Filing Information