1099 Tax Software Blog

We are currently in tax year 2016. Many clients have approached us to efile tax year 2015 originals and corrections. This is more challenging then I originally expected but the process is easy in hindsight.  We called and emailed the IRS to attain the below steps and I have successfully efiled tax year 2015 data in tax year 2016.  The steps are:

1. Use tax year 2015 ACA software to generate the data file.  The header and body of the XML data file must match Schema 2015v8.0 for the form data file which is the last schema version the IRS released for tax year 2015.
2. Use tax year 2016 ACA software to generate the manifest file. But you need to make changes to the 2016 manifest file.
3. When your generate the manifest file, the software asks for ‘payment year’ and ‘are you efiling a prior year’.  Select payment year 2015 and yes that are efiling a prior year.
4. Remember to change the software IDs to reflect 2015.

Those are the steps.  If you have any problem efiling prior year ACA data, call or email us anytime.  We can efile on your behalf.

No, there is not a way at this time to delete accepted ACA transmissions.  You can efile a correction.

A common comment is

The total number of employees auto populated does not match my employee count.

Our printers can print, fold, stuff and seal a fixed number of pages per envelope. We have it set to print, fold, stuff and seal one page per envelope. We cant our printers look ahead and include a continuation sheet if it exists when there are more than 6 covered individuals.  So if there are more than 6 covered individuals, the software puts the first 6 covered individuals on one 1095 form and the 7th through 12th on the next 1095 form.  The forms are printed and mailed separately.  While we can make the software do anything, our printers are more rigid.

Our 1095 software contains 1095-B (and its 1094-B transmittal summary) and 1095-C (and its 1094-C transmittal summary) forms.  You order the software online at this link

https://www.1099fire.com/buy_now.htm

There are 2 versions:

1. Single-employer.  The single employer option is less expensive and lets you efile forms for one employer with multiple employees.  You will type in the employer EIN during registration and then the software will lock in that EIN for printing and electronic filing.
2. Enterprise.  The enterprise version lets you efile for multiple employer EINs and their respective employees.

You can also order by phone at (480) 460-9311.

No.

You need one transmitter control code or TCC number in order to efile any number of 1095-B and/or 1095-C forms.  You can efile for multiple employers using that one TCC number.

We are a service bureau and as such, we can efile on your behalf using our TCC number.  Email sales at info@1099fire.com or call sales at 480-460-9311 for more information on how we can efile 1095 forms on your behalf.

Tax year 2015 was the 1st year the 1095-B and/or 1095-C forms were required.  The IRS extended the due date for printing and mailing to March 31 and the deadline to efile to the end of June.

For tax year 2016, you must print and mail a copy to the employee by January 31, 2017.  If the IRS provides an extension, we will post it here and on our website.  You must efile by March 31, 2017.  The IRS most likely will provide an automatic 1-month extension giving you until the end of April to electronically file the 1095 forms.

We received this error when efiling ACA data:

AIRER602        Payload attachment error (MTOM) – unable to read the attachment

The IRS posted on the site irs.gov/air

06/22/2016 – Rejected Transmission without an Error Data File, Error Code or due
to Error Code AIRER602.  The IRS is currently investigating an internal system
error that results in an AIRER602 or a reject without an Error Code or Error Data File.

• If you receive an AIRER602, MTOM payload attachment error, ensure your transmission conforms to the guidance in Publication 5165, Section 4.2 and 4.3.
• If your file complies with the Publication 5165 guidance, or if your transmission was rejected without an Error Code or Error Data File; follow these instructions: Known Issue: Rejected Transmission without an Error Data File, Error Code or due to Error Code AIRER602.

The 1095 software can handle foreign recipient or employee addresses easily.  This article discusses foreign employee addresses.

The 1095 software is not setup to handle foreign employer address.  To do this, you have to adjust the data and manifest file manually.  Here are the changes you need to make:

1. Use <ForeignMailingAddress>.

The data file has the 1094-C at the top and is followed by the 1095-C records.  The employer address on the 1094-C is listed 5-6 lines down from the top.  The employer address looks like

<MailingAddressGrp>
<USAddressGrp>
<AddressLine1Txt></AddressLine1Txt>
<irs:CityNm></irs:CityNm>
<USStateCd></USStateCd>
<irs:USZIPCd></irs:USZIPCd>
</USAddressGrp>
</MailingAddressGrp>

and you want to change this to

<MailingAddressGrp>
<ForeignAddressGrp>
<AddressLine1Txt></AddressLine1Txt>
<AddressLine2Txt><AddressLine2Txt>
<irs:CityNm></irs:CityNm>
<CountryCd></CountryCd>
<irs:ForeignProvinceNm></irs:ForeignProvinceNm>
<irs:ForeignPostalCd></irs:ForeignPostalCd>
</ForeignAddressGrp>
</MailingAddressGrp>

You dont have to use AddressLine2Txt or ForeignProvinceNm; both are optional.  But you do need everything else.

2. Adjust the manifest file.

The manifest file describes and defines the data file that is about to be sent.  Adjust the data file and go to File/Save.  Then right click on the data file and go to Properties and you see this

Write down the file size which in this case is 462974 (its not the size on disk but the file size).  Write that number down.  Open the manifest file and toward the bottom you see this:

AttachmentByteSizeNum has to equal the file size of the data file.  Adjust AttachmentByteSizeNum to match the new file size and dont use commas (just digits).  Go to File/Save to save.

IRS webinars say:

Remember, you´re expected to file accurate information returns with the IRS and furnish a copy to the recipient by the due date.

As mentioned earlier, for 2016, the due dates for filing and furnishing these returns were extended.

Once the information returns have been filed with the IRS, you´re expected to file any corrections as soon as possible.

However, corrections filed prior to the due date with the IRS may be filed at any time prior to the due date.

Corrections filed after the due date should be filed as soon as possible.

The due date for efiling the 1094/1095 forms is June 30, 2016.  Efile corrections before or on the June 30, 2016 deadline.  The IRS states that corrections can be efiled after the due date but should be filed as soon as possible.

We can help prepare and efile corrections.  Call us at (480) 460-9311.

The IRS website has this information:

AIRMF3014
Manifest ‘ChecksumAugmentationNum’ must not match a ‘ChecksumAugmentationNum’ of any AIR transmission from the same ‘TCC’ previously accepted.

When the software creates a manifest file, there are two (2) unique identifiers.

1. UUID or Universally Unique Identifier.

The first unique identifier is about the 3rd line down and looks like

<p3:UniqueTransmissionId>84eab598-8fb9-4a26-978c-acedeb156a1b:SYS12:BB057::T</p3:UniqueTransmissionId>

In this example, this number

84eab598-8fb9-4a26-978c-acedeb156a1b

is a Universally Unique Identifier or UUID.  All you have to know is the UUID is a unique, lowercase 32 character value.  The software will generate a unique UUID everytime you create a new manifest and data file.  The IRS wont accept a manifest file with the same UUID.  This prevents users from uploading the same data twice.

2. ChecksumAugmentionNum.

The second unique identifier is toward the bottom of the manifest file and looks like

<p4:ChecksumAugmentationNum>209f3805f1dfe172462bead4f56a3c65</p4:ChecksumAugmentationNum>

This number is also 32 characters in length.  The 1095 software creates the data file.  It then uses the content of the data file to create this 32 character number (or Checksum).  The 1095 software will create the same ChecksumAugmentationNum when given the same data with no changes.  A Checksum is a way to find out if the data file already exists.  If you resubmit a file with the same Checksum number, you will get AIRMF3014 error.

This error will sometimes arises when you upload a replacement file.  It shouldnt because the replacement file has a few changes in the data file to make it different enough to generate a new Checksum.  But if it does, you can generate your own unique Checksum.  There are lots of websites online.  This link

http://www.miraclesalad.com/webtools/md5.php

has a Checksum generator.  Copy and paste the contents from the data file or type in some random text.  Generate a new Checksum and copy and replace the one that is currently in the manifest file.  Save and upload.  That new Checksum will be a new unique identifier to the IRS.