Power of Attorney to Sign IRS Tax Returns (2024)

FAQs

Power of Attorney to Sign IRS Tax Returns? ›

You can use Form 2848, Power of Attorney and Declaration of Representative for this purpose. Your signature on the Form 2848 allows the individual or individuals named to represent you before the IRS and to receive your tax information for the matter(s) and tax year(s)/period(s) specified on the Form 2848.

The POA form also allows you to give your representative the authority to: Add representative(s) Sign your tax return(s) (only if incapacitated or continuous absence from the U.S.) Receive, but not endorse, your refund check(s)

You can authorize your tax preparer, a friend, a family member, or any other person you choose as a third party designee.

Authority to sign your income tax return may be granted to (1) your representative or (2) an agent (a person other than your representative).

To reduce processing time, the IRS added resources from multiple sites other than the three CAF units to assist in processing. During the past year, the average time the IRS took to process a POA fluctuated from 22 days to over 70 days and is currently 29 days.

You can use Form 2848, Power of Attorney and Declaration of Representative for this purpose. Your signature on the Form 2848 allows the individual or individuals named to represent you before the IRS and to receive your tax information for the matter(s) and tax year(s)/period(s) specified on the Form 2848.

If there's an appointed personal representative, that person must sign the return. If it's a joint return, the surviving spouse must also sign it.

As an IRS Authorized Signer, you are stating that you are a person or principal who can legally bind the entity. You are authorized to sign and act in tax matters on behalf of the business identified on your application.

The individual you authorize must be a person eligible to practice before the IRS. You may authorize a student who works in a qualified Low Income Taxpayer Clinic (LITC) or Student Tax Clinic Program (STCP) to represent you under a special appearance authorization issued by the Taxpayer Advocate Service.

The fax number if sending from within the United States remains the same (855-772-3156). Section references are to the Internal Revenue Code unless otherwise noted. For the latest information about developments related to Form 2848 and its instructions, go to www.irs.gov/form2848.

Can a durable power of attorney sign form 2848? ›

Under this approach, the broad DPOA simply states that the attorney-in-fact is authorized to represent the principal in federal tax matters. The IRS will accept the broad DPOA as giving the attorney-in-fact the authority to execute a Form 2848 on behalf of the taxpayer.

If you are a court-appointed conservator, guardian, or other fiduciary for a mentally or physically incompetent individual who has to file a tax return, sign your name for the individual and file Form 56, Notice Concerning Fiduciary Relationship.

Use: Form 2848, Power of Attorney and Declaration of RepresentativePDF when you want to authorize an individual to represent you before the IRS, or. Form 8821, Tax Information AuthorizationPDF, when you want to name an individual to inspect confidential tax return information related to the bond issuance.

Tax professionals may use handwritten or any form of an electronic signature for the client or themselves on authorization forms submitted through the new online tool. Authorization forms that are mailed or faxed must still have handwritten signatures.

An IRS power of attorney stays in effect for seven years, or until you or your representative rescinds it. To revoke an IRS power of attorney, you either file a new form naming someone else as power of attorney or write "REVOKE" across the top of the first page.

Form 2848 allows tax professionals, such as an attorney, CPA or enrolled agent, to represent clients before the IRS as if they were the taxpayer. Signing Form 2848 and authorizing someone to represent you does not relieve a taxpayer of any tax liability.

Signing of Corporation Returns

Any one of the following officers may sign a corporate return, Form 1120, U.S. Corporate Income Tax Return: president, vice-president, treasurer, assistant treasurer, chief accounting officer, or any other corporate officer given authority to sign the return.

While you can file a tax return for someone else, you can't collect their tax refund. If you do, this is considered tax fraud, and there may be legal consequences for collecting someone else's tax refund.

- If the W-9 is being signed by a Power of Attorney, the documentation verifying POA must be attached. 4. Lines 1, 3, 5, and 6 must ALWAYS be filled out. whatever reason, the Power of Attorney (POA) must sign and the POA paperwork must be attached showing that person has the authority to sign.