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TaxWise Training provided through E-file training class
teaches recommended ways to enter data and use TaxWise. Training
is based on material provided by UTS, and geared towards the rapid
filling of tax forms for a large number of returns, and where the
preparer undergoes a long hours of TaxWise training.
The situation is different for volunteers at VITA sites.
Volunteers are generally only available during times scheduled for helping the public,
and generally unable to spend too much additional time on TaxWise
training. The comments here are based on practices that work
well at some sites, and are offered in the spirit of sharing. Check back often; more hints will be added as time
goes on.
- The magic right mouse click!
- While important to remember what each function key on the computer does,
for those not using TaxWise full time, the right mouse click
displays a menu of possible actions to choose from.
The right mouse click is a standard Windows convention, which has
been used by TaxWise to provide fingertip help. So rather than
trying to remember what each function key does, just do
a right-click when you can't remember what to do, and in most cases,
you will get the answer.
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- Take care of the worksheets and the return will
take care of itself!
- In most situations, when you link to the
schedules and worksheets, and fill them out, the numbers will flow
to the right place in the tax returns.
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- Keep the calculator at home!
- When adding many numbers, if you enter
them
in the worksheet, you can easily check that they were
entered correctly. No wondering if you had punched in the
wrong numbers. You can be sure that the total is correct if
the numbers entered are correct.
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- Remove those overrides!
- Using overrides may seem to be a quick way of
filling up the form; however, it then makes you do all the checking
rather TaxWise providing help in preparing the return.
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- Customize those Print Packages!
- Rather than print individual forms or select
which forms to print, it is generally useful to set up Print
Packages for different purposes. At one site, the file copy
generates one copy of each form and worksheet, and is given to the taxpayer for
their permanent records. The signature pages include 2 copies
of the federal 8453 and 1 copy of the state 8453 which are signed
and returned. Individual forms should be printed directly from
the return rather than from the print package or classic print
menus.
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- Keep hands away from Printer!
- Standing next to the printer and examining
the pages leaving the printer may seem efficient, but it actually slows down the process. The pages
generally come out in the right order, but if they are removed one at a
time, they get mixed up, and rearranging them is time-consuming, and
may change the
order.
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- Generate the DCN Early!
- Generating the DCN early has one major impact
when went working with 8453 forms. They are printed directly
on the form, and when they are matched up with the returns at the
IRS, there will not be any errors. It is useful to generate
the DCN before printing the forms, to avoid the extra time-consuming
and error-prone process of entering the number by hand.
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- Fill the 1040 and the 1040A or 1040EZ will take
care of itself
- While Tax Law training teaches the conditions
under which different versions of the 1040 form should be used, it
has been found useful to start filling the return as if it were a
1040, and then at the end, using one of the simpler forms if
appropriate.
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- Be kind to trees! Print forms, don't order them,
stash them and recycle them!
- It may appear to be a good idea to order
large quantities of tax forms to keep on hand in case they are
needed. At the VITA Milpitas Library, only pre-printed intake forms
are ordered since they are filled in by hand by taxpayers. Generally,
when forms are ordered, they arrive packed in
separate boxes. When space is limited, it is not possible to
spread out the forms, and it is difficult to locate the relevant form
where needed. Being affiliated with the library, it is
possible to use the forms that the Library distributes, but it is
generally useful to print out forms when needed.
This may appear wasteful, but consider that when pre-printed forms
were ordered, several boxes of forms needed to be recycled, whereas
less than two full boxes of blank paper was used for the whole tax season.
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