Preparing taxes for a military family member deployed overseas

[delta_05]

My son is in the military and I'm doing his taxes for him while he is deployed overseas.  Is there a way to remove the "SELF PREPARED" stamp from the preparer's line so that I can sign it?

Thank you

[xmasbaby0]

No.   Any tax return prepared using TurboTax will say "Self-Prepared" because you are using do-it-yourself tax software.  The return is not being prepared by a professional paid tax preparer.

[DoninGA]

If you are going to e-file the tax return there is no signature to enter on the Form 1040.  The 2022 AGI is the electronic signature on an e-filed return.

If you are going to print and mail the return, you would need to have the legal authority to sign his tax return 

[delta_05]

Legal authority such as Power of Attorney?

[delta_05 · Accepted solution]

So, yeah, I asked my lawyer friend.  A durable power of attorney will grant me legal authority to sign my son's tax returns.  Hopefully this is useful to anyone else who has a similar question.

However, as previously stated, TurboTax apparently does not allow you to remove the "SELF PREPARED" stamp on the preparers line, which there should be an exception for because you might have to do taxes for a family member who is either absent (such as military deployment) or medically incapacitated in some way. 

[delta_05]

Follow up...

IRS form 2848 "Power of Attorney and Declaration of Representative" will allow someone to sign tax forms for another person.

Mayland form 548 is basiclly the same thing.