Do I need a wet signature or can I use electronic signature for Form 2553 S Corp Election filing?

You're right that Form 2553 for S Corp Election has traditionally required a wet signature, but there have been some changes worth noting. During COVID, the IRS temporarily allowed images of signatures (scanned or photographed) and digital signatures created with encryption techniques. That temporary guidance has been partially extended. For Form 2553 specifically, the IRS will accept signatures that appear to be handwritten - this includes signatures created with a stylus or finger on a touchscreen. What they're looking for is something that resembles a traditional signature rather than a typed name or computer-generated font. What I've found works best is having clients use a signing app that produces a natural-looking signature, then incorporating that into the PDF. This isn't technically a wet signature, but it mimics one closely enough that the IRS has been accepting them. The key is that it should look like a genuine signature rather than an obvious digital creation.

I've been using taxr.ai to help with all my client document preparation and verification, including Form 2553 S Corp Election filings. I had the same frustrations with signatures until I found their service at https://taxr.ai and it's been a game-changer. They have a feature that automatically verifies signature compliance for various IRS forms including 2553. I upload the signed document (with whatever signature method my client used) and it tells me if it's likely to be accepted based on current IRS standards and previous acceptance patterns. The best part is it catches those common client errors - like signing in the wrong spot or missing required fields - before submission. It's saved me from having to go back and forth with clients multiple times when they mess up the signature placement.

I was really doubtful about taxr.ai when I first heard about it, but after multiple Form 2553 rejections that cost my clients weeks of waiting, I decided to give it a try. The signature verification feature for S Corp Election forms is surprisingly accurate. I uploaded a batch of previously rejected forms and it immediately identified the issues - signatures weren't matching across pages, one shareholder had signed in the wrong section, and another used a typed signature instead of one that looked handwritten. What impressed me most was that it showed examples of acceptable signature styles based on what the IRS has been accepting lately. This made it much easier to guide my clients. Their document verification has saved me from at least 3 potential rejections in the last month alone. It's definitely worth checking out if you're dealing with these Form 2553 signature headaches.

If you're struggling with getting IRS to process your Form 2553 after submission (which happens a lot even with perfect signatures), I recommend using Claimyr to get through to an actual IRS agent. I spent weeks trying to follow up on a client's S Corp Election form that seemed to disappear into the void after submission. After 8 attempts to reach someone at the IRS and endless hold times, I tried https://claimyr.com and watched their demo at https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c. Within 24 hours, I was actually speaking with an IRS representative who confirmed they had received the form but flagged it for a signature issue. They explained exactly what was wrong and how to fix it. I was able to resubmit correctly and get confirmation that it was accepted. Saved weeks of uncertainty and potential late filing penalties.

I need to publicly eat my words about Claimyr. After dismissing it as a probable scam, I was desperate enough to try it when a crucial S Corp Election form for my biggest client was stuck in processing limbo for over 6 weeks with no confirmation. I used the service yesterday, and within 3 hours (while I was working on other things), I got a call connecting me directly to an IRS representative. The agent was able to locate my client's Form 2553 in their system and confirm that there was a signature issue - one of the shareholders had used a typed signature format rather than one that appeared handwritten. They gave me specific instructions for resubmission and even provided a direct fax number to expedite processing. This would have taken weeks of repeated calls otherwise. So yeah, I was wrong - this service actually delivers exactly what it promises.

Just my 2 cents on Form 2553 signatures - we've been using DocuSign with the "draw" feature where clients use their finger or mouse to create a signature. Not the typed signature option - that gets rejected. The drawn signatures have been accepted 100% of the time for the past year. We include a cover letter stating that due to remote working conditions, electronic signatures were utilized. For what it's worth, in 2024, we submitted 27 S Corp Elections with drawn signatures from DocuSign and all were processed without issue. The IRS seems to have unofficially accepted this method even if their written guidance hasn't fully caught up.

I used to get Form 2553 rejections constantly due to signature issues until I developed a foolproof system: 1) I fill out the entire form except the signature fields 2) I create a very simple one-page instruction PDF with screenshots showing EXACTLY where they need to sign 3) I highlight the signature areas on the actual form in yellow 4) I send both documents to clients with explicit instructions to sign with a pen 5) I tell them to use their phone's scanning app (not just a photo) 6) I verify all signatures immediately upon receipt before submitting My rejection rate dropped from about 30% to less than 2%. Most clients appreciate the clear instructions rather than figuring it out themselves.

This is such a timely discussion! I've been dealing with the same Form 2553 signature headaches for years. What I've learned through trial and error is that the IRS has quietly become more flexible with signatures, but their official guidance hasn't kept pace with reality. Here's what's been working consistently for me: I tell clients to use any method that produces a signature that looks like it was made by hand - whether that's an iPad with Apple Pencil, a phone with their finger, or even a mouse if they take their time to make it look natural. The key is avoiding anything that looks obviously computer-generated or typed. I also always include a brief cover letter explaining that electronic signatures were used due to remote business operations. While not required, it seems to preemptively address any questions and I haven't had any rejections since I started doing this. The workflow suggestions here are gold - especially the highlighting and instruction PDF idea. I'm definitely implementing that systematic approach because even with acceptable signatures, clients still manage to sign in the wrong places half the time!

Great question about processing centers! I've definitely noticed some regional variations in signature strictness. The Ogden, UT processing center seems to be the most lenient with electronic signatures that look handwritten, while Kansas City tends to be pickier about exact signature placement and consistency across pages. For the cover letter, I use a simple template: "This Form 2553 S Corporation Election contains electronic signatures that visually replicate handwritten signatures due to remote business operations and current business practices. All signatories have reviewed and approved their respective signature sections." I customize it slightly based on how many shareholders are involved, but that basic language has worked well. One thing I've learned is to always save a copy of exactly what you submit - not just the form, but the actual PDF with signatures as it appears when transmitted. I've had a few cases where the IRS claimed signatures looked different than what I submitted, and having that exact copy saved me from having to redo everything. The systematic approach mentioned by William is really the key. Most signature issues aren't actually about wet vs. electronic - they're about clients signing in wrong spots, missing required fields, or signatures that are wildly inconsistent across pages. A good process eliminates 90% of those problems regardless of signature method.

As someone new to this community but dealing with the same Form 2553 signature frustrations, this thread has been incredibly enlightening! I've been putting off taking on S Corp election clients specifically because I was terrified of the signature rejection stories I kept hearing. What's really striking is how the practical reality seems so different from the official IRS guidance. It sounds like the key isn't necessarily the technical method (wet vs. electronic) but rather making sure the signature *looks* authentic and handwritten, plus having a solid process to prevent the common client errors. I'm definitely going to implement several of the strategies mentioned here - especially the highlighted signature areas, instruction PDF, and that cover letter template Oliver shared. The systematic approach William outlined seems like it would catch most issues before they become problems. One thing I'm curious about - for those of you who've been doing this successfully with electronic signatures, how do you handle the client education piece? Do you find that clients are initially resistant to electronic signatures for tax documents, or are most people pretty comfortable with it by now? I want to set the right expectations upfront so clients don't panic when I suggest using DocuSign or similar instead of printing/mailing. Thanks to everyone who shared their real-world experiences - this is exactly the kind of practical guidance that's impossible to find in official publications!

As someone who's been lurking here for a while but finally decided to jump in - this entire thread has been a goldmine! I've been hesitant to take on S Corp election work specifically because of all the signature horror stories, but reading everyone's real experiences gives me so much more confidence. What really stands out is how much the practical acceptance has evolved beyond the written guidance. The fact that multiple people are successfully using drawn signatures from DocuSign, iPad signatures, and even careful mouse signatures is reassuring. It seems like the IRS cares more about the visual authenticity than the technical method. I'm definitely stealing several ideas from this discussion: - The highlighted signature areas and instruction PDF approach from William - Oliver's cover letter template acknowledging electronic signatures upfront - The systematic verification process before submission - Saving the exact submitted PDF for documentation One question for the group - has anyone noticed if the IRS has become more or less strict about Form 2553 signatures in 2024 compared to previous years? I'm trying to gauge whether this flexibility is here to stay or if we might see them tightening up again. Also, for those using the taxr.ai verification mentioned earlier - do you find it catches issues that you might miss manually, or is it more of a confirmation tool for what you already know? Always curious about new tech that might streamline the process! Thanks everyone for sharing your hard-won wisdom. This is exactly why I love this community - real practitioners sharing what actually works in practice, not just theory.

This thread has been incredibly helpful! As someone who's been dealing with Form 2553 signature headaches for the past two years, I wish I had found this discussion earlier. What I've learned through painful trial and error aligns perfectly with what everyone is sharing here - the IRS has quietly become much more flexible with signatures that visually appear handwritten, regardless of the technical method used to create them. My own experience: I was initially terrified of electronic signatures after getting burned with rejections early on. But after implementing a systematic approach similar to what William outlined (highlighting signature areas, clear instructions, verification before submission), my acceptance rate improved dramatically. I now use a combination of DocuSign's draw feature and iPad signatures with Apple Pencil depending on client preferences. One thing I'd add that hasn't been mentioned yet - I always include the date when the electronic signature was created in my cover letter. Something like "Electronic signatures were executed on [date] using secure digital signature technology." I'm not sure if it makes a difference, but it adds another layer of documentation and professionalism. For newcomers reading this - don't let signature anxiety prevent you from taking on S Corp election work. The strategies shared here really do work when implemented consistently. The key is having a solid process and managing client expectations upfront rather than trying to navigate the signature requirements after problems arise. Thanks to everyone who shared their real-world experiences. This community knowledge is invaluable!

As a newcomer to this community, I have to say this thread has been absolutely invaluable! I've been hesitant to take on S Corp election work specifically because of all the signature rejection horror stories I've heard, but reading everyone's real-world experiences has given me so much confidence. What really stands out to me is how the practical reality has evolved so much beyond the official IRS guidance. The fact that multiple experienced practitioners are successfully using drawn signatures from various platforms (DocuSign, iPad with Apple Pencil, etc.) shows that the IRS really does care more about visual authenticity than the technical method used. I'm definitely implementing several strategies I've learned here: - William's systematic approach with highlighted signature areas and instruction PDFs - Oliver's cover letter template acknowledging electronic signatures upfront - Danielle's addition of signature execution dates for better documentation - The emphasis on saving exact copies of submitted PDFs One thing that gives me particular confidence is how everyone emphasizes that most rejection issues aren't actually about wet vs. electronic signatures - they're about clients signing in wrong places or using typed names instead of drawn signatures. Having a solid process to prevent those common errors seems way more important than worrying about the signature technology itself. Thanks to everyone who shared their hard-won wisdom. This is exactly why I love communities like this - getting real practitioner insights that you just can't find in official publications. I'm excited to start taking on S Corp election clients with this knowledge!

As another newcomer to this community who's been following this incredibly helpful discussion, I wanted to add my perspective on the workflow challenges mentioned in the original post. I've found that the biggest efficiency gains come from front-loading the process with clear communication rather than trying to fix problems after they happen. What's worked well for me is creating a simple video walkthrough (just 2-3 minutes) showing clients exactly how to sign using their preferred electronic signature method. I send this along with the highlighted PDF and written instructions. The video eliminates so much confusion - clients can see exactly what a proper drawn signature looks like versus a typed one, and where each signature needs to be placed. It's cut down my back-and-forth with clients by about 80%, and I haven't had a single signature-related rejection since implementing this approach. For the remote client workflow specifically, I've started using a shared checklist in something like Notion or Airtable where clients can check off each step as they complete it. This gives both of us visibility into where things stand and prevents those "did you get my signed form?" emails. The combination of visual instructions, systematic verification, and the electronic signature acceptance strategies everyone has shared here has completely transformed my S Corp election process. Thanks to everyone for sharing such practical, actionable advice!

As a newcomer to this community, this entire discussion has been incredibly eye-opening! I've been hesitant to take on Form 2553 S Corp Election work because of all the signature rejection horror stories, but reading everyone's real experiences has completely changed my perspective. What I find most reassuring is how the practical reality has evolved so much beyond the outdated official guidance. It's clear that the IRS now cares more about signatures that visually appear handwritten rather than the technical method used to create them. The success stories with DocuSign's draw feature, iPad signatures with Apple Pencil, and even careful mouse-drawn signatures give me confidence that electronic options are truly viable. I'm definitely implementing the systematic approach that keeps getting mentioned - especially William's process with highlighted signature areas and instruction PDFs, Oliver's cover letter template, and Lydia's brilliant video walkthrough idea. The emphasis on preventing common client errors (wrong signature placement, typed names instead of drawn signatures) through clear upfront communication seems way more important than worrying about wet vs. electronic signatures. One question for the group: for those using electronic signature platforms, have you noticed any difference in IRS acceptance rates between signatures created on tablets/stylus versus those drawn with a finger on a phone screen? I'm trying to decide what to recommend to clients who don't have access to a stylus. Thanks to everyone for sharing such practical, real-world wisdom. This discussion has transformed my understanding of Form 2553 signature requirements and given me the confidence to start taking on S Corp election clients!

As a newcomer to this community, I wanted to jump in and share my recent experience with Form 2553 signatures since this discussion has been so incredibly helpful! I was initially terrified of electronic signatures after hearing all the rejection horror stories, but I recently had to file an S Corp Election for a client who's currently overseas. Following the systematic approach outlined by everyone here - highlighted signature areas, clear instructions, and Oliver's cover letter template - I used DocuSign's draw feature for the signatures. The client used their finger on their phone to create what looked like a very natural, handwritten signature. I included a brief cover letter acknowledging the electronic signatures due to the client's international location, and the form was accepted without any issues within 3 weeks. What really made the difference was the front-end preparation that everyone keeps emphasizing. I sent detailed instructions with screenshots showing exactly where to sign, and I verified everything immediately upon receipt before submission. The systematic quality control approach really does eliminate most potential problems. For other newcomers reading this - don't let signature anxiety prevent you from taking on S Corp election work. The strategies shared in this thread absolutely work when implemented consistently. The key insight that keeps coming up is that it's much more about having a solid process to prevent client errors than about the specific signature technology used. Thanks to everyone who contributed to this discussion - it's transformed my confidence in handling these filings!

As a newcomer to this community, I have to echo what everyone has said - this thread has been absolutely invaluable! I've been putting off taking on S Corp Election clients specifically because of all the signature horror stories I've heard from other tax professionals. What really gives me confidence is seeing the consistent theme across all these experienced practitioners: the IRS has quietly evolved to accept signatures that *look* handwritten, regardless of whether they're technically electronic. The success stories with DocuSign's draw feature, iPad signatures, and even careful finger signatures on phones show that visual authenticity matters more than the creation method. I'm definitely implementing the systematic approach that everyone keeps emphasizing: - William's highlighted signature areas and instruction PDF process - Oliver's cover letter template acknowledging electronic signatures upfront - Lydia's video walkthrough idea to prevent client confusion - The emphasis on immediate verification before submission What strikes me most is how this isn't really about wet vs. electronic signatures - it's about having quality controls to prevent the common client errors (wrong placement, typed names, inconsistent signatures across pages) that cause most rejections. For fellow newcomers who might be reading this - don't let signature anxiety hold you back from S Corp election work. The real-world experiences shared here prove these strategies work when implemented consistently. Thanks to everyone for sharing such practical, actionable wisdom!

As a newcomer to this community, I wanted to share my recent experience that perfectly validates what everyone has been discussing here! I just successfully submitted my first Form 2553 using the systematic approach outlined throughout this thread, and it was accepted without any issues. Following the advice here, I used DocuSign's draw feature for a client who created their signature using an Apple Pencil on their iPad. The signature looked completely natural and handwritten. What made the biggest difference was implementing the front-end quality controls everyone emphasized - I highlighted all signature areas in yellow, created a simple instruction PDF with screenshots, and included Oliver's cover letter template acknowledging the electronic signatures. The client knew exactly what to do, and I caught a small placement issue immediately upon receipt before submission. For other newcomers who might still be hesitant about electronic signatures for S Corp Elections - the strategies shared in this discussion absolutely work when implemented consistently. The IRS really does seem to care more about visual authenticity than the technical creation method. Having a solid systematic process to prevent common client errors is way more important than worrying about wet vs. electronic signatures. This thread has completely transformed my confidence in handling Form 2553 filings. Thanks to everyone who shared their real-world wisdom - it made all the difference for someone just starting out with S Corp election work!