Does anyone know when the 8889 form (for software vendors) gets generated? My CPA can't file my return until this form is available.

[jcbgrss]

This is not the 8889 form on the IRS website. Apparently there's an 8889 form for software vendors that my CPA needs before they can file my returns. When will this form be made available?

[BillM223]

This form is already available. But just to be clear, are you talking about the form 8889, Health Savings Accounts (HSAs)?

This form is

1. generated by TurboTax, so your CPA doesn't need to get it, and

2. has been available in TurboTax for weeks.

Or are you talking about a different form?

[jcbgrss]

Thanks for the response @BillM223! My CPA said that the IRS has to approve the same form (yes, the 8889 form, to answer your question) as provided by software vendors. Do you know what this is in reference to?

[BillM223]

Your CPA is correct, but this should not hold up your filing.

The way this works is this:

1. The IRS or state taxing agency releases a tax form for the tax year.
2. Software vendors (we all have to do this) create PDF versions of the form and submit it to the IRS for approval.
3. The software vendors also create an XML version of the same form (which is actually just tagged data, with no form elements). This is sent to another IRS department for approval, because this is what gets e-filed, so the IRS has to be sure that the XML data was correctly create according to the XML schema for e-filing.
4. The code behind the input screens has to be developed.
5. The code to calculate numbers and place them on the PDF form and into the XML data file has to be created.
6. The new code has to be tested (a lot), even if it is "the same form as last year". This is because forms interact (a lot) so even if a form is the same as last year, its interaction with other forms that did change may cause issues.
7. Once tested, the form is made "Available" in the TurboTax system. You can see federal form availability at this page, and states form availability at this page.

We (and I assume the other tax software vendors) have completed the first seven steps before #8. Not to worry.

[jcbgrss]

@BillM223 Thank you for this detailed and thorough explanation. You had listed 7 steps in your response, not 8, as you referenced at the end. Am I understanding that correctly? And to be clear, this is all supposed to happen right? The fact that I am still waiting for this form to be approved is normal right? Do you know historically when it has become available?

[BillM223]

Hmmmn, I copied the text from a Word document. I think that #8 was the last sentence, but the numbers fell out in the translation and got confused.

Why are you saying that you are waiting for this form to be approved? It's available right now, on all platforms. What is telling you that it's not available?

What TurboTax product are you using? Online? on a Mac? on Windows?

[jcbgrss]

Thanks @BillM223! This is what my CPA told me. All my returns are prepared and ready, but we're waiting on this 8889 created by software vendors. That's the only thing we're waiting on. Not the the IRS version of the form. Thoughts?

[DawnC]

That is correct, the IRS version of the form is ready.  Just to clarify - Bill is referencing the TurboTax version of the form when he says it is ready.   Your CPA may not be using TurboTax forms.  

[jcbgrss]

Thanks @DawnC! Right; he is not using TurboTax forms. I just needed a second opinion because the fact that we need to wait for another version of the 8889 form is new to me. I didn't know that it was different from the form that is already available on the IRS website. Thanks for your help and any insight you can provide!

[jcbgrss]

Hi there, @BillM223 - one more follow up here, to confirm I understand. It is not unusual that the 8889 form prepared by software vendors is not available yet, correct? I originally assumed all forms become available at the end of January, but that doesn't seem to be the case. Should I be concerned?

[Critter-3]

This is normal ... not all forms are functional at the same time ... some may even take until the end of March. 

[jcbgrss]

Thank you so much, @Critter-3! Understood. I did not realize that. This is the first time I have gone through a CPA (vs doing it through TurboTax), so lots of new is happening for me. I appreciate you putting me at ease!

[Critter-3]

Right now my professional program can do the form 8519-F but not the NOL form ... go figure.  Sometimes there is no rhyme or reason.