User's Manual - Drake Software

Tax Preparer Requirements
Drake Software User’s Manual
Drake offers several options for making these forms available to your clients, including
printing forms in batches and having clients provide their signatures electronically.
These methods are described in the following sections.
Consent to Use of Tax Return Information
The Consent to Use of Tax Return Information explains the IRS Regulation 7216
requirement to the taxpayer. It must be signed before the return is prepared.
• Paper Forms — To generate paper forms, log in to the Drake Support site (Support.DrakeSoftware.com),
and from the blue sidebar menu, go to Resources >
7216 Sample Letters. Click to open the generic Consent to Use of Tax Return
Information or any of the bank consent forms, in English or Spanish. Print or
save to your computer desktop. Be sure to enter your firm’s name at the top of the
page. Clients must sign and date this form manually. Forms are also available in
the software at Tools > Blank Forms.
Screen code: USE • Electronic Signatures — To obtain electronic consent, the taxpayer (and spouse,
if married filing jointly) must enter their names and the date onto the USE screen.
(See Figure 7-1.)
Figure 7-1: Names and the date as entered by clients on the USE screen
Once the appropriate fields on the applicable screen are completed, the Consent to
Use of Tax Return Information will be generated with the return.
Consent to Disclosure of Tax Return Information
The Consent to Disclosure of Tax Return Information contains banking-option information
and explains the IRS Regulation 7216 requirement to the taxpayer. It must be
signed before the return is e-filed.
• Paper Forms — Paper forms can be accessed by several means:
– The software generates the disclosure form as part of the return. The wording
of the form reflects the banking option your firm has selected. This form can
be signed with other signature documents prior to e-filing.
– Log in to the Drake Support site (Support.DrakeSoftware.com), and from the
blue menu bar, go to Resources > 7216 Sample Letters. Click to open the
generic Consent to Disclosure of Tax Return Information or any of the
bank consent forms, in English or Spanish. Print or save to your computer
desktop. Be sure to choose the correct form for your firm’s selected bank.
Enter your firm’s name at the top of the form before printing it.
210 Tax Year 2012