NY Tax Professional Registration

• Complete registration and submit certificate by December 19, 2011. • Print and fax certificate to 1-877-233-1273 or

email certificate to targettledgers@ne.rr.com

NEW YORK STATE TAX PROFESSIONAL REGISTRATION AND RENEWAL 2012

PLAYBOOK AND STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE

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Requirements

All H&R Block Tax Professionals who prepare New York State tax returns must register with the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance and acquire or renew a registration number.In addition, certain Tax Professionals are required to pay a $100 fee when they register or renew.

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Who Must Register/Renew?

The New York State Department of Taxation and Finance requires Tax Professionals to register or renew if they help to issue or administer (facilitate) Refund Anticipation Checks (RACs).Because all H&R Block Tax Professionals facilitate RACs, all H&R Block Tax Professionals (including CPAs, attorneys, and EAs) who prepare at least one New York State tax return must register. H&R Block is requiring this whether the Tax Professional lives inside or outside of New York State.

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Who Must Pay the Fee? H&R Block Tax Professionals who meet one of the following requirements must pay a $100 fee when they register or renew:

They were paid to prepare 10 or more New York State tax returns in 2011 and will be paid to prepare at least one New York State taxreturn in 2012.They will be paid to prepare 10 or more New York State tax returns in 2012.

Certain H&R Block Tax Professionals are always EXCLUDED from paying the fee. These H&R Block Tax Professionals include:

Certified Public Accountants (CPAs) currently licensed by any state.Public Accountants (PAs) currently licensed by any state.Attorneys currently licensed by any state.Enrolled Agents (EAs). Employees who perform only clerical or comparable services.

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Information to Gather Before Registration

You must have a personal e-mail account. If you filed a personal New York State tax return in the last three years, you need the year of the tax return and the federal adjusted gross income (AGI) from that year’s tax return.You have the option to enter your federal PTIN. If that is information you would like to include with your New York State registration, make sure you have it with you.

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Information to Gather Before Registration

You must have the address of the office where you usually work.If you are registering on your own and are required to pay the fee, you need the routing and account numbers from a bank account. Note: Credit/debit cards are not accepted.

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Step-by-Step GuideThe following pages illustrate the:

Creation of an Online Services account for Tax Professionals registering for the first time.Registration/Renewal process. The process is generally the same for both Tax Professionals registering for the first time and those renewing an existing registration. The Step-by-Step Guide highlights screens that are different.

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Select the All services –account login & create account link under the Online Services heading.

Go to the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance home page at <www.tax.ny.gov>.

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From the Online Services home page, click the Login button if you have an existing account.

Click the Create Account button if you do not already have an Online Services account.

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If you already have an Online Services account and clicked on the Login button on the previous screen, login to your account with your Username and Password and click the Login button.

The system will take you to the Account Services Home page.

If you forgot your username or password, click on the appropriate link for help.

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Select Individual as the account type and then click the Continue button at the bottom of the screen.

If you do not have an Online Services account, you need to create one before the system will take you to the Account Services Home page.

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There are two paths to create an Online Services account.

This is the path for Tax Professionals who have filed a personal New York State income tax return in the last three years.

You need to verify your identity by entering either the federal AGI from your New York State tax return or by entering an assessment number from a New York State tax bill.

Check the Yes box if you filed a personal New York State income tax return in the last three years.

Enter your social security number without spaces or dashes.

To proceed, re-enter the security code.

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Check the No Box if you have not filed a New York State tax return in the last three years.This is the path for

Tax Professionals who have NOT filed a personal New York State income tax return in the last three years.

To proceed, re-enter the security code.

Re-enter your ID and then your name.

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Create an eight character Username with only letters or numbers.

Create Temporary Password with 8-20 characters in length. [Because this password will be changed, you may use something simple like 1234abcd].

After all information has been entered, check the I Agree box and click the Submit button.

After entering the Verification Information you create the login Information.

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After your Username and Temporary Password have been accepted, click on the Continue link.

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The system returns you to the login screen.

Enter your Username and Temporary Password and then click the Login button.

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The system prompts you to create a permanent password.

Enter the Temporary Password you just created and then enter your permanent password two times. The permanent password must be eight characters with at least three letters and one number. Note: It is critical that you record your Username and Password. You will need to access this account every year you prepare New York State tax returns.

Click the Change Password button to proceed.

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You next receive confirmation that your password was successfully changed.

Click the Continue button.

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The system next prompts you to select a secret question and then enter and confirm your answer. In the event you forget your password in the future, you will need to answer this question. Note: It is critical that you record your secret question and answer.

Click the Submit button.

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You next receive confirmation that your account has been updated with the secret question and answer.

You have finished creating your Online Services account. You are now ready to register.

Click the Continue button.

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To register, click the Tax preparer registration program drop-down menu heading.

Next, click the Register myself as a tax preparer link.

For Tax Professionals who first needed to create an Online Services account, the system next brings you to the Account Summary Home screen.

For Tax Professionals who already have an Online Services account, the system brings you to this screen right after you login.

For all Tax Professionals, the registration/renewal process is generally the same from this screen onward.

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All of the questions need to be answered before continuing.

All H&R Block Tax Professionals need to indicate that they facilitate RACs and enter “101089742” as the routing number for the institution issuing the RACs.

Note: You may login to your account and update your answers at any time.

After clicking on Register myself as a tax preparer link, you receive the Questionnaire.

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If you are required to pay the $100 fee it will be displayed here.

Please note that only * fields are required to be filled in. In the Applicant Detailssection, you are only required to enter a personal e-mail address.

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Enter your home and your mailing addresses.

If your home and mailing addresses are the same, check this box.

All Tax Professionals except Franchisees should check the Yes box to the first question and the No box to the second and third questions.

Franchisees should check the No box to the first question and then need to determine their correct answer for the second and third questions.

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Company Tax Professionals should enter “H&R Block” as the legal name of their employer.

Franchise Tax Professionals should consult with their Franchisee.

Enter the address of the office where you usually work.

Remember only * fields are required to be filled in.

If the employer physical and mailing addresses are the same, check this box.

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Most H&R Block Tax Professionals check only the Personal income box.

Note: If you are unsure which box(es) to check, please consult your District Manager or Franchisee.

Only Tax Professionals registering for the first time need to supply information on their education background and the types of tax returns they prepare.

Tax Professionals who are renewing their registration will not see this screen.

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Only Tax Professionals who are required to pay the $100 fee will see this screen.

If you are a Company Tax Professional registering at an Open House, the facilitator will enter the payment information.

If you are a Company Tax Professional registering on your own, enter the routing and account numbers from your financial institution. Note: Credit/Debit Cards are not accepted.

Franchisees independently decide the payment/reimbursement policy for their Tax Professionals. Franchise Tax Professionals should consult their Franchisee.

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You now land on the Review and Verify page.

Click the View button to view your answers to all the questions. Click the Edit button if any information needs to be changed.

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After you have verified that all information is correct, click the Submitbutton at the bottom of the screen.

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The Transaction Confirmation screen confirms you have completed the registration/renewal process.

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This is the lower portion of the Transaction Confirmation screen. Click the Print Certificate and Form button to print a copy of the Transaction Confirmation and Certificate of Registration.

Open House facilitators should print two copies of each document. One set for Company records and one set for the Tax Professional.

Company Tax Professionals registering/renewing on their own and who were required to pay the fee should write their PeopleSoft number on each document and fax both to the OCOE at (866) 522-9218. They will be issued a reimbursement check approximately three weeks after submitting the required documents.

All Company Tax Professionals registering/renewing on their own also need to give a copy of their Certificate to their DOC for entry into the PeopleSoft system.

Franchise Tax Professionals should contact their Franchisee for the process to follow.

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This is what the top of the Transaction Confirmation Form looks like.

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The NYTPRIN is listed at the top left.

The DOC/Franchisee needs to enter this number in the PeopleSoft system to feed into TPS so that all New York State tax returns list the Tax Professional’s registration number.

The confirmation number is also listed. This could be needed if you need to resubmit your payment or reprint your Certificate.

This is what the Certificate looks like.