The IRS Goes Electronic for Certain Forms

The IRS is now allowing taxpayer representation forms to be signed and submitted electronically.

In keeping with its objective of expanding secure digital options for taxpayers and professionals to interact efficiently with the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”), the IRS is now allowing Forms 2848 and 8821 to be signed and submitted electronically. Form 2848, Power of Attorney and Declaration of Representative, is used to authorize an individual to represent a taxpayer before the IRS. Form 8821 authorizes any individual, corporation, firm, organization, or partnership a taxpayer designates to inspect and/or receive confidential information about the taxpayer verbally or in writing.

Using the new program entails three easy steps:

1. Tax professionals enter a Secure Access username and password or complete a Secure Access registration to authenticate their identities;
2. Taxpayers and tax professionals sign the form 2848 or 8821 electronically or with ink;
3. Upload the image of the form to the IRS.

It should be noted this new online submission process will not eliminate the reviewing and processing time by the Internal Revenue Service Centralized Authorization File (CAF) Unit. For more information about how to use this service go to https://www.irs.gov/tax-professionals/submit-forms-2848-and-8821-online.