Friday, December 14, 2018

IRS Announces MeF Shutdown and Cutover Dates for Business Returns

IRS has announced the shutdown and cutover of the Modern E-File System (MeF) for Business Returns as a precursor for Tax Year 2018. To ensure that all Business tax returns e-filed through the MeF system are processed in a timely manner, submissions must occur before IRS completes its shut down of the system on Wednesday, December 26, 2018 at 11:59 p.m. (EST).          
In order to allow the states ample time for processing these returns, the Wolters Kluwer E-File Center (EFC) will stop accepting business returns (both federal and state) for the current processing year at 7:59 p.m. (EST) on December 21, 2018. E-file submissions for Tax Year 2015, Tax Year 2016 and Tax Year 2017 are included in this change.  Because not all state agencies process returns in “real-time”, this schedule should allow sufficient time for agencies to post their acknowledgements for the WK EFC to pick up prior to the system shutting down. 
After the shutdown occurs, the WK EFC will not accept business returns (federal and/or state) until IRS comes back online in early January 2019.  This includes preparers being able to pick up any outstanding acknowledgements. The WK EFC will stop accepting communication requests for these Tax Years on December 26, 2018 at 11:59 p.m. (EST).

IMPORTANT NOTE:

Tax Year 2015 returns will no longer be eligible for e-filing after 7:59 p.m. (EST) on December 21, 2018.