Returns Client Experience

This article outlines the full taxpayer experience. The taxpayer can access the return, review, sign, pay vouchers/invoices, deliver K-1s, and download documents. 

Initial Email

The taxpayer receives an email with a link to the designated return.

1. Click Let's Get Started OR
2. Click Access Client Portal. 
   • See our Client Portal Experience article for more information. 

Start Page

1. Click Contact to reach out to the firm if you have any questions.
2. Click Get Started.

Authentication

Social Security Number Authentication (personal returns only)

1. Enter the requested 4 digits of your Social Security Number.  
2. Click Continue.

Access Code Verification (all return types)

1. Click Send Code.
   • A message states whether the code is being delivered to your email address or your phone.
     • Email Access Code: An 8-digit access code is sent to the same email address as the initial email was sent to.
     • Mobile Access Code: A 6-digit access code is sent to your cell phone via text message.
2. Enter the 6 or 8-digit access code in the code field.
3. Click Continue.

SMS Text Notification Consent

• This only appears if your tax provider has this feature enabled. 
• By consenting to the SMS Text Notifications, you are agreeing to allow SafeSend to send reminders to sign your tax return via text message. This consent is valid for 12 months. 

Welcome Page

This is the main dashboard for your return. 

1. The title line has 3 options:
   • View the Tax year for the return.
   • Click Contact Person to display a contact at the firm in case you have any questions.
   • Click Client Panel to change your mobile number or edit your spouse's information.
2. The progress bar shows the step the return is currently in.
3.  Total refunds and payments for the return are displayed on the left.
   • Click the Print icon to print the summary. 
   • Use the bottom arrows to open the panel to view more.
4. A quick overview of the steps required to complete your return is displayed.
   • Depending on what was included in the return by your tax preparer, these steps may appear differently. These additional steps are outlined below. 

1. Click Get Started to continue.

Message from Preparer

This page displays any instructions or messages included by the tax firm.

1. View the message from your tax preparer. 
2. Click Print if you would like to print the message. 
3. Click Next to continue. 

View or Pay Invoice

This section only appears if your delivered return includes an invoice.

1. Review the Invoice. 
2. Click Pay Now. 
   • Depending on your firm's settings, you may see a pop-up requesting payment details or a new tab open to a payment site. 
   • If you do not see the Pay Now option, this indicates the firm does not have a payment method available online, but you can download the invoice in the next section. 
3. Click Next to continue. 

Review Tax Documents

1. Click the Return Section you want to review (filing instructions, tax return, and attachments). 
2. Click Download to download and save documents to your device.
3. Click Forward to forward all available documents to an external email address. 
   • See our Forward a Copy of Your Return article for more information about this feature. 
4. Click Next to continue. 

Paper File Your Returns

The Paper File Returns section only appears if your delivered return includes a paper file return. You must consent to the terms of the Paper File Return before you are allowed to print the documents.

• By clicking I Consent, you agree to file the Paper File Return with the respective tax authority.
• If you choose to Skip you can access your Paper File Returns from the summary page and receive the Consent to Paper File Returns pop-up again.

1. Print or Download the Paper File returns individually under the Action column for each return. 
2. Click Print to print all the returns into 1 PDF. 
3. Click Download All to download a ZIP File with all paper file returns. 
4. Click Skip to skip this step OR
5. Click Next to continue. 

Sign Tax Documents

There may be up to 3 options to sign depending on your firm's settings. 

1. Click e-Sign to sign electronically.
2. Click Manually Sign to print, sign, and upload the forms.
3. Click Delegate Signing to send tax forms to partners or shareholders for signatures.
   • See the Signer Delegation: Managing Member Experience article for information about this feature.

E-Sign

Identity Verification (personal returns only)

1. Enter or verify Your Date of Birth for verification.
2. Check the box to consent to e-signing.
3. Enter your spouse's email address (if applicable).
   • Enter your spouse's mobile number to prompt access codes to go to their cell phone (optional). 
4. Click Next to continue to:
   • Knowledge-based authentication for individual returns.
   • E-sign Your Documents for entity returns.

Knowledge-Based Authentication (personal returns only)

1. Select the correct answer.
   • Answer 3 of 5 questions correctly to pass. 
     • If you pass, continue to the E-Sign Your Documents section. 
     • If you fail, you are directed to Manually Sign your documents. 
2. Click Next.

E-Sign Your Documents (all return types)

A list of all pages that require your signature is listed in the left panel. A green check appears next to the page after it is signed. 

1. Click the Start arrow to be led to your first signature line.
2. Click the green Signature block to open the Add Signature window.
   • Continue to click the Next arrow as you proceed through each signature. 
3. Click Type OR Draw to choose your signature type.
4. Click Apply.
5. Click Next to continue.

Please note:

If there is a spouse on the return the confirmation screen below appears. Here you can update the spouse's email and add a phone number (optional). Click Next to finalize signing. 

Manually Sign

1. Click Download to download documents requiring a signature.
2. Drag and drop the documents OR click Choose File to open a file browser to upload the signed documents. 
3. View the alternative sending methods if you are unable to upload the signed documents electronically: 
   • Send by Mail
   • Send by Fax
4. Click Next. 

K-1 Distribution

This option is only available for entity returns. For more information about downloading K-1s to mail hard copies, see our K-1 Distribution - Taxpayer Instructions article. 

Send Electronically

1. Click Send Electronically on the K-1 distribution dashboard.
2. Click the Edit Partner Details button in the Action column.
3. Enter the Shareholder's email address in the Update K-1 Partner Details window.
   • An email address is required before a K-1 package can be delivered.
   • If a mobile number is added, the Access Codes are sent by text.
4. Click Save to save any changes made. 
5. Select one or more K-1 packages to be distributed. 
   • If you Select All, the K-1s on the current page and any additional pages are selected.
6. Click the Email Documents button.
7. View the Status of delivered K-1s. 

Tax Payments

View Tax Payments

Important

Estimated payments appear when you click Next. The options are the same for Tax Payment and Estimated Payments. 

1. Click the Due date to view the payments due. 
2. Check or uncheck the Email me reminder... to adjust reminder settings. 
   • If checked, you can adjust the number of days before the due date that you receive the reminder. 
3. Click Payment Voucher to download all vouchers.
4. Click Filing Instructions to download all filing instructions.
5. Click Next. 

Pay Vouchers

1. Click Pay.
2. Click Pay Now to open a new tab for the taxing authorities website to pay online. 
3. Click Get Voucher to download the payment voucher.
4. Click Add Payment Details to mark the voucher as Paid.
   • This step is optional and for record-keeping only. 
5. Review the pop-up warning and click Done.  
6. Enter the details for the payment made. 
   • Check Number is optional. 
7. Click Add Payment when done. 
8. Click Next to complete all steps.

End Page/Return Page

Once the return is completed you are directed back to the Welcome Page, but different options are now available. It is also what populates when you re-enter the return at a later date.

1. Summary panel. 
   • Click the Print icon to print the summary. 
2. Send reminder to spouse for joint 1040s. 
3. Click Make Tax Payments to be directed back to the Pay section.
4. Click Download Tax Documents to see a list of documents included in the return.
5. Click View Tax or Forward Tax Documents to be taken back to the review step.
6. Click View or Download Signed Documents to download the signed e-file forms.
7. Click Print and Mail Paper File Returns to access your Paper File returns.
8. Click Pay or View Tax Preparation Fees to pay your invoice or mark it as paid. 

Info

Any signed documents downloaded from SafeSend are password-protected and cannot be edited. The audit report printed with the signed document is used as a security standard to track document history events. Allowing the report to be edited would make it unviable.