Government Impact on Adoption and Expansion of eSignatures and eRecords Kevin Hatton Director, E-file Provider Program Management Internal Revenue Service November 15, 2012

3 3 IRS e-signature Points of Discussion IRS Pilot and Proposal Successes IRS e-signature Solicitation IRS e-signature Policy Guidance

4 4 IRS e-signature Successes IRS e-signature Policy Guidance ProposalsPilots

5 5 e-signature Pilot and Proposal Successes Period: Fall 2009 to Present As industry adopts new electronic concepts, e- signature pilots offer the Return Preparer Office (RPO) the opportunity to evaluate these new methodologies to assist industry in eliminating manual processes to save time, money, and resources for the IRS and our stakeholders. E-signature proposals approved by IRS are accepted alternative signature methods.

6 6 e-signature Pilot and Proposal Successes Period: Fall 2009 to Present FormDescriptionMethodologyStatus 4419Application for Filing Information Returns Magnetically/Electr onically Electronic PIN Proposal approved in September 2011, Project implementation date tentative for Nov TRequest for a Transcript of a Tax Return Electronic PINSend My Transcript Proposal approved January 2012 and first phase of the project implemented August 2012

7 7 e-signature Pilot and Proposal Successes Period: Fall 2009 to Present FormDescriptionMethodologyStatus 8655 Reporting Agent Authorization Click through Pilot, October 2011 to September 2012, Pilot extension approved until October 31, Reporting Agent Authorization Electronic Signature Pilot, September 7, 2012 to March 7, 2014

8 8 e-signature Pilot and Proposal Successes Period: Fall 2009 to Present FormDescriptionMethodologyStatus 8878 and 8879 IRS E-file Signature Authorizations Electronic Signature Pad Pilot, Policy Change effective November 2010

9 9 IRS e-signature Policy Guidance Policy Proposals Pilots

10 IRS e-signature Solicitation Internal Revenue Bulletin – Solicitation of recommendations for acceptable e-signature standards E-signature Revenue Procedure – Consistent IRS e-signature policy guidance incorporating GPEA, the ESIGN Act, UETA Laws, etc.

11 Questions