Form 8453 is a cover sheet for various mailings.
It is not to be signed.
Whatever instructions you're looking at are wrong for an individual tax return.
"If you are filing your tax return using an online provider, mail Form 8453 to the IRS within 3 business days after you have received acknowledgement from your intermediate service provider and/or transmitter that the IRS has accepted your electronically filed tax return. If you do not receive an acknowledgement, you must contact your intermediate service provider and/or transmitter."
This is the message I got after I submitted my Federal online with payment...it said to sign this form 8453 and mail it in after confirmation is received but there isn't anything to send with it, it just states that I agree for them to electronically take out my funds from my bank....The instruction sheet said to keep it with my forms and did not indicate anything more. Just a little confused because it contradicts each other.
Both PA and CA require you to print it out and keep it with your tax records I wonder if you are in one of those states. Otherwise, the 8453 would have instructions to mail extra paperwork to the IRS.
Yes I am from PA!! Thanks for the clarification, it makes since why my instructions were different when I finalized my taxes and printed out!