Last year, there is no full service, so with the live product, I can ask the reviewer to sign my tax return.
But now it seems I have to add $100 more to get the full service version so that the reviewer can sign my tax?
I feel better to have CPA signed my tax. But I also want to understand and have more control over it all myself. So I want to fill it out first.
However in full service, the additional cost, is to ask the preparer to fill it out for me, So I hope the live version itself can also sign my return after I fill this all myself with no additional cost.
The taxpayer must sign.
When you e-File, you are presumed to have signed your tax return.
The full-service product is new this year and the volunteers in this forum have not necessarily been informed of all the changes. In previous years, the CPA in the live assist product was not supposed to sign your return as a preparer. In some cases, the assistance was so significant that the live assistant was required to take responsibility, although this was not how the service was originally intended. I suspect that is why the full service product was created. I suspect that if you enroll in the live assist product and the assistance required is so significant that the preparer must take over, you will be required to upgrade to full service. You always sign your own return as well, regardless of whether you use any kind of paid preparer. (When you e-file, the signature is electronic.)
No one is required to use the live assist or the full-service version. TurboTax is designed so that most taxpayers should be able to use the product without assistance. You may prefer additional assistance but it is never required.
So what does it mean by "line by line review" that is offered by the standard live product?
If turbotax preparer just review and does not sign it means there is no accountablity and people call this ghost preparer.
Here is for reference
https://www.ctec.org/taxpayers/did-your-tax-preparer-sign
Tax preparers who charge a fee to do your taxes, but never sign your tax return are breaking the law. No signature? Means no accountability. No proof of existence.
Hiring a tax preparer (often referred to as "ghost tax preparers") will increase your chances for tax fraud, penalties and additional taxes.
I am not a legal expert and can’t answer that question. You can review the terms of service for yourself.
And there is more here.
This line is scary "For TurboTax Live , if your return requires a significant level of tax advice or actual preparation, the tax expert may be required to sign as the preparer at which point they will assume primary responsibility for the preparation of your return."
Why does it mentioned "if your return requires a significant level" and "the tax expert may be required to sign"?
Can I always ask the tax expert to sign my return for accountability regardless whether it is required or not?
(Without upgrading to full service, because I already fill this out myself)
Otherwise, there will be no use for the line by line review because there is no accountability.
So completed everything on my own and even paid the ~$200 so I could get a copy of the return / pdf (I did NOT actually file) to review.
I did not file with TurboTax last year and after speaking with my CPA who did it last year, noticed several items I need to carry over.
I logged on and upgraded to Full Service however not it seems all of my data has been erased. Where is all of my filing?
Please see the following link to contact your expert and get the assistance you need: How to contact my Full Service expert?