Home Page link  

Last name too long , is that a problem?

  
Groups | Search | About
User Password
Register Now! Lost Password?

Taxes General Forum - Tax professionals meeting place and answers to queries. (Moderated)

 Post an article  get this group's latest topics as an RSS feed add this group's latest topics to your My MSN content add this group's latest topics to your My Yahoo content  add this group's latest topics to your Google content  YahooMyWeb Yahoo!  Google Google  Windows Live Favorites Windows Live  del.icio.us del.icio.us  digg digg  Add to Netscape Netscape
Subject Author Date
Last name too long , is that a problem? jetro 04-04-2008
Posted by jetro on April 4, 2008, 12:15 am
Please log in for more thread options
 According to my accountant my last name is too long and will not fit
on the e-file form,

so he cut my last name in half >> example from: Lifehouse , to :
Life


could that be a problem now or in the future?

thanks !

--
<< ------------------------------------------------------- >>
<< The foregoing was not intended or written to be used, >>
<< nor can it used, for the purpose of avoiding penalties >>
<< that may be imposed upon the taxpayer. >>
<< >>
<< The Charter and the Guidelines for submitting posts >>
<< to this newsgroup as well as our anti-spamming policy >>
<< are at www.asktax.org. >>
<< Copyright (2007) - All rights reserved. >>
<< ------------------------------------------------------- >>

Posted by Bill on April 4, 2008, 1:11 pm
Please log in for more thread options
Jett81@gmail.com (jetro) posted:

>According to my accountant my last name is
>too long and will not fit on the e-file form,
>so he cut my last name in half >> example
>from: Lifehouse , to : Life >could that be a
>problem now or in the future?

Your last name must have also been too long for the Social Security
computer software, also.
IRS will kick back anything which does not match the information
available ... and they use the Social Security Administration files for
matching names to SSN's.

So your name as e-filed must match with the name on your SS card. Now,
there are some minor issues that get overlooked, like a full middle name
spelled out on the card, but shifted to a middle initial; however,
shortening the last name significantly from what was used when your SS#
was assigned, would be a no-no.

I'm trying to imagine what could cause this ... and the only things
which pop into my mind, are marriage and a name change. If either has
occurred, you should promptly advise the SSA folks, as well as the IRS.

TaxWise, the software IRS provides for VITA and TaxAide assistance,
permits 22 characters. If your name is longer, the problem of fitting it
into a software field probably came up previously. Just make sure the
solution is agreed to by SSA and IRS.

If there's any doubt in your mind -- or if this issue has never arisen
previously, you could ask your accountant for a copy of the e-filing
correspondence which confirmed acceptance of your return. Then, keep it
on file with your records.

Bill

--
<< ------------------------------------------------------- >>
<< The foregoing was not intended or written to be used, >>
<< nor can it used, for the purpose of avoiding penalties >>
<< that may be imposed upon the taxpayer. >>
<< >>
<< The Charter and the Guidelines for submitting posts >>
<< to this newsgroup as well as our anti-spamming policy >>
<< are at www.asktax.org. >>
<< Copyright (2007) - All rights reserved. >>
<< ------------------------------------------------------- >>

Posted by jetro on April 4, 2008, 4:08 pm
Please log in for more thread options
On Apr 4, 1:11 pm, an_ordinary_guy_...@hotmail.com (Bill) wrote:
> Jet...@gmail.com (jetro) posted:
>
> >According to my accountant my last name is
> >too long and will not fit on the e-file form,
> >so he cut my last name in half >> example
> >from: Lifehouse , to : Life >could that be a
> >problem now or in the future?
>
> Your last name must have also been too long for the Social Security
> computer software, also.
> IRS will kick back anything which does not match the information
> available ... and they use the Social Security Administration files for
> matching names to SSN's.
>
> So your name as e-filed must match with the name on your SS card. Now,
> there are some minor issues that get overlooked, like a full middle name
> spelled out on the card, but shifted to a middle initial; however,
> shortening the last name significantly from what was used when your SS#
> was assigned, would be a no-no.
>
> I'm trying to imagine what could cause this ... and the only things
> which pop into my mind, are marriage and a name change. If either has
> occurred, you should promptly advise the SSA folks, as well as the IRS.
>
> TaxWise, the software IRS provides for VITA and TaxAide assistance,
> permits 22 characters. If your name is longer, the problem of fitting it
> into a software field probably came up previously. Just make sure the
> solution is agreed to by SSA and IRS.
>
> If there's any doubt in your mind -- or if this issue has never arisen
> previously, you could ask your accountant for a copy of the e-filing
> correspondence which confirmed acceptance of your return. Then, keep it
> on file with your records.
>
> Bill
>
> --
> << ------------------------------------------------------- >>
> << The foregoing was not intended or written to be used, >>
> << nor can it used, for the purpose of avoiding penalties >>
> << that may be imposed upon the taxpayer. >>
> << >>
> << The Charter and the Guidelines for submitting posts >>
> << to this newsgroup as well as our anti-spamming policy >>
> << are atwww.asktax.org. >>
> << Copyright (2007) - All rights reserved. >>
> << ------------------------------------------------------- >>

thanks for the prompt response Bill and Paultry,
I guess i should go back to my accountant and get this thing squared
out. I did not really like it when he said he was going to shorten my
last name,. that never occurred before.

thanks for the help.
God Bless.

========================================= MODERATOR'S COMMENT:
Please delete unnecessary text from the prior message when responding.

--
<< ------------------------------------------------------- >>
<< The foregoing was not intended or written to be used, >>
<< nor can it used, for the purpose of avoiding penalties >>
<< that may be imposed upon the taxpayer. >>
<< >>
<< The Charter and the Guidelines for submitting posts >>
<< to this newsgroup as well as our anti-spamming policy >>
<< are at www.asktax.org. >>
<< Copyright (2007) - All rights reserved. >>
<< ------------------------------------------------------- >>

Posted by Ernie Klein on April 4, 2008, 4:19 pm
Please log in for more thread options
an_ordinary_guy_158@hotmail.com (Bill) wrote:

> Jett81@gmail.com (jetro) posted:
>
> >According to my accountant my last name is
> >too long and will not fit on the e-file form,
> >so he cut my last name in half >> example
> >from: Lifehouse , to : Life >could that be a
> >problem now or in the future?
>
> Your last name must have also been too long for the Social Security
> computer software, also.
> IRS will kick back anything which does not match the information
> available ... and they use the Social Security Administration files for
> matching names to SSN's.

It appears that the SSN + first 4 characters of the last name is all the
look for (Name Control).

>From Pub 1345 (Handbook for Authorized e-file providers)

Verifying Taxpayer Identification Numbers

..Additionally, the TINs for taxpayers, spouses, and dependents are
identified by a Name Control. A Name Control is the first four
significant letters of an individual taxpayer¹s last name as recorded by
the Social Security Administration (SSA) or the first four letters/
numbers of a business name. Having the wrong Name Control associated
with a taxpayer¹s TIN contributes to a large portion of TIN-related
rejects. The most common example for a return rejecting due to a
mismatch between a taxpayer¹s TIN and Name Control involves newly
married taxpayers. Typically, the taxpayer may file using a correct
SSN along with the name used in the marriage, but the taxpayer has
failed to update the records with the SSA to reflect a name change."

--
-Ernie-

--
<< ------------------------------------------------------- >>
<< The foregoing was not intended or written to be used, >>
<< nor can it used, for the purpose of avoiding penalties >>
<< that may be imposed upon the taxpayer. >>
<< >>
<< The Charter and the Guidelines for submitting posts >>
<< to this newsgroup as well as our anti-spamming policy >>
<< are at www.asktax.org. >>
<< Copyright (2007) - All rights reserved. >>
<< ------------------------------------------------------- >>

Posted by Paultry on April 4, 2008, 2:28 pm
Please log in for more thread options
jetro wrote:
> According to my accountant my last name is too long and will not fit
> on the e-file form,
>
> so he cut my last name in half >> example from: Lifehouse , to :
> Life
>
>
> could that be a problem now or in the future?

Probably not now, could be with future IRS IT upgrades. IRS
used to match only the "name control" which is the first
four letters of the surname. I doubt that this has been
expanded to more than four letters, given the limitations of
the already overloaded IRS computers.

See Error Reject Code 0500 in the following:

http://www.irs.gov/efile/article/0,,id=180182,00.html

--
<< ------------------------------------------------------- >>
<< The foregoing was not intended or written to be used, >>
<< nor can it used, for the purpose of avoiding penalties >>
<< that may be imposed upon the taxpayer. >>
<< >>
<< The Charter and the Guidelines for submitting posts >>
<< to this newsgroup as well as our anti-spamming policy >>
<< are at www.asktax.org. >>
<< Copyright (2007) - All rights reserved. >>
<< ------------------------------------------------------- >>

Similar ThreadsPosted
ISP problem November 30, 2006, 10:34 pm
TaxCut problem? January 30, 2007, 12:09 pm
An intro to tax problem & discussion! July 4, 2007, 10:57 pm
State Withholding Problem August 23, 2007, 9:48 pm
Re: State Withholding Problem August 29, 2007, 1:31 am
Re: Tax Problem from Sale of Residence April 12, 2006, 11:28 pm
Re: Tax Problem from Sale of Residence April 12, 2006, 11:28 pm
Re: Tax Problem from Sale of Residence April 14, 2006, 3:45 am
Re: Tax Problem from Sale of Residence April 15, 2006, 3:18 am
LLC foreign member tax problem April 16, 2006, 2:29 am

Contact Us | Privacy Policy
This site is not affiliated with Intuit - makers of Quickbooks and Quicken software
This site is not affiliated with Sage Software - makers of Peachtree accounting software
XML SitemapXML Sitemap