Residency and ID Requirements | Prosper Tax Help 2021 Training - YouTube

Residency and ID Requirements

The Tax Help Program has no residency requirements. This means a

client can come from anywhere in the United States  and we will prepare their income taxes for them. 

Most of our clients come from the Austin area  and only need their federal tax return prepared.

If a client has worked or lived in a state that  requires the preparation of a state tax return  

in addition to the federal tax return, we will  prepare both their federal and state tax returns.  

State tax returns will be prepared virtually by  Andy's Team. You may be wondering, How will i know  

if a state tax return is needed? The easiest answer  is to look at each W-2. Looking at the bottom of  

each W-2, you'll find fields 15 through 20. These  fields are used to report state earnings. If a W-2  

reflects information in these fields, the client  may need a state tax return completed. However, some  

states do not require a state tax return and may  still complete fields 15 through 20. For example, 

you may encounter a W-2 from Texas reporting  income in fields 15-20. In Texas, a state tax return  

is not required. Therefore, there is no need to  worry. You can move on to the next income document.  

If you encounter an income document from any  state that will require a state tax return, ask an  

Intake Lead to help you get the tax return sent to  Andy's Team to prepare both the federal and state  

returns together. Here is a list of states that  require preparation of a state income tax return.

Here is a list of the states that do not  require preparation of a state tax return.

Remember that all state income tax  returns must be completed by Andy's Team. 

The tax help program must confirm the  identity of everyone on the tax return  

to avoid the potential for identity theft  or tax fraud. To validate the identity of the  

primary taxpayer and spouse when in person, we compare each person with their Photo ID. 

If we're conducting an intake interview virtually  the taxpayer and spouse will each send us a photo  

of their Photo ID as well as a selfie of them  holding their IDs. We will then compare the  

Photo ID with the selfie to verify the person's  identity. When validating a Social Security or  

Individual Taxpayer Identification Number - which  we also call ITIN - an original or photocopy  

that is legible must be presented. Refer to the  document titled "Confirming Identity and SSN or ITIN" 

for a more thorough list of all acceptable IDs and  acceptable proof of Social Security number or ITIN.   

When conducting the intake interview in person,  you must copy or scan all IDs, Social Security  

cards, and ITIN letters or cards. If a client  cannot substantiate their identity and Social  

Security number or ITIN, they should  return with an acceptable form of ID.  

Since the tax help program does not have residency  requirements, a photo ID from any state will  

work. Acceptable forms of ID include: Driver's  license; employer identification card with photo;  

school identification card with  photo; state identification card;  

military identification card with photo;  voter identification with photo, which is  

used by many other countries; a visa, passport,  or national identification card with photo.

Acceptable proof of Social  Security numbers or ITINs include:  

An original or copy of a Social Security card;  

a letter from the Social Security Administration  with your full Social Security number printed;

Form SSA-1099; a Medicare card with your full  Social Security number followed by the letter "A";  

an original or copy of an IRS-issued ITIN  card or letter. If documentation to validate  

the Social Security number or ITIN cannot be  presented, we will prepare a client's tax return  

if their taxes were electronically filed using  our tax centers in the previous three years,  

and a staff member can verify that the tax  return was accepted by the IRS. After proof  

of identification has been confirmed for everyone  on the tax return, you may continue with the intake

interview.