Does signing Form 8879 eliminate the requirement to sign directly on the 1040 tax form?

You're absolutely fine! Form 8879 is specifically designed for e-filing purposes and acts as your electronic signature authorization. When you sign the 8879, you're authorizing the tax preparer to submit your return electronically with an electronic signature, which eliminates the need to physically sign the 1040 form. This is completely normal procedure for e-filed returns. The 8879 contains language that verifies you've reviewed your return, the information is accurate, and you're authorizing the electronic submission. The physical signature line on the 1040 is only used when you're paper filing by mail.

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For those who might be in the same situation but have questions for the IRS directly - I tried calling them about Form 8879 requirements last year and spent HOURS trying to get through. Ended up using Claimyr (https://claimyr.com) and they got me connected to an IRS agent in about 15 minutes. You can see how it works here: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c The IRS agent confirmed that Form 8879 is all you need to sign for e-filed returns and keeps you compliant. They also mentioned tax preparers are required to keep the 8879 on file for 3 years minimum. Was super helpful to hear it directly from the IRS instead of stressing about it.

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My accountant explained that the 8879 is specifically for e-filing. If you were paper filing, then yes, you'd need to sign the 1040 directly. But since most returns are e-filed now, the 8879 is the standard way to authorize your signature. One important thing to know: keep a copy of your signed 8879 with your tax records! Your preparer should keep one too, but always smart to have your own copy as proof you authorized the filing.

The 8879 confused me too! My tax guy said it's like giving permission for him to "sign" the 1040 electronically on my behalf. Basically the 8879 form is saying "I reviewed this return, it's correct, and I authorize you to submit it electronically with my electronic signature." In the olden days when everyone mailed paper returns, you'd sign the 1040 directly. Now with e-filing being so common, the 8879 replaces that physical signature step.

Thank you so much for asking this question! I was literally in the exact same boat last month and was stressing about it too. It's totally normal to be confused about this - the whole e-filing process isn't super intuitive when you're new to it. What everyone else said is spot on: the Form 8879 IS your signature for e-filed returns. Think of it this way - when you sign the 8879, you're basically telling your tax preparer "Yes, I've reviewed my return, everything looks correct, and I authorize you to submit this electronically on my behalf." The IRS accepts this as equivalent to you physically signing the 1040. The signature line you see on the actual 1040 form is only used for paper returns that get mailed in. Since your preparer is e-filing, that line stays blank and the 8879 takes its place. You're definitely not missing anything or doing anything wrong! One tip: make sure you actually review your return carefully before signing the 8879, since that signature confirms you've looked everything over and it's accurate. But sounds like you're already being thoughtful about the process, so you should be all set!