IRS Revises Specifications For Filing Tip Reporting Form Electronically.

Note: Electronic filing is the ONLY acceptable method for filing Form 8027 with IRS/ECC-MTB

Significant changes were made to the record layout. Please review this publication carefully before submitting your information.

 TABLE OF CONTENTS

.01 Form 8027 is used by large food or beverage establishments when the employer is required to make annual reports to the IRS on receipts from food or beverage operations and tips reported by employees.

Note: All employees receiving $20.00 or more a month in tips must report 100% of their tips to their employer.

.02 The Internal Revenue Service Enterprise Computing Center -- Martinsburg (IRS/ECC- MTB) has the responsibility of processing Forms 8027 submitted electronically. The purpose of this revenue procedure is to provide the specifications for filing Form 8027, Employer's Annual Information Return of Tip Income and Allocated Tips, electronically. This revenue procedure is updated when legislative changes occur or reporting procedures are modified.

.03 This revenue procedure supersedes the following: Rev. Proc. 2006-29 published in Internal Revenue Bulletin 2006-27, dated July 3, 2006, Specifications for Filing Form 8027, Employer's Annual Information Return of Tip Income and Allocated Tips, Magnetically or Electronically. This revenue procedure is effective for Forms 8027 due the last day of February 2007 and any returns filed thereafter.

Sec. 2. Nature of Changes

Please read the publication carefully and in its entirety before attempting to prepare your electronic file for submission. Major changes have been emphasized by using italics. The changes are as follows:

.01 IRS/ECC-MTB no longer accepts any form of magnetic media. Electronic filing through the FIRE System is the only method to report Form 8027 to IRS/ECC-MTB.

.02 Title of Publication 1239 was changed to reflect the elimination of magnetic media filing.

.03 Form 4804, Transmittal of Information Returns Reported Magnetically, is obsolete. This form was only required for magnetic media reporting which is no longer a valid method of reporting information returns.

.04 Form 8809, Application for Extension of Time To File Information Returns, is available as a fill-in form on the FIRE System and is highly encouraged in lieu of the paper Form 8809. (See Part B, Sec. 1.)

.05 Additional and clarifying information was added to Part A, Sec. 4 concerning good faith agreements and determination letters.

.06 Several sections have been deleted due to the elimination of magnetic media filing and others combined for greater clarity. Please review the entire Publication for all relevant changes.

.07 Test files can be submitted through the FIRE System. See Part B, Sec. 3 for details.

.08 Special characters of any kind in name and address fields are not acceptable. See note with example in Part C, Sec. 01.

.09 The following changes were made to the record layout:

.01 All correspondence concerning Forms 8027 processed at IRS/ECC-MTB should be sent to the following address:

.03 Questions pertaining to magnetic media filing of Forms W-2 must be directed to the Social Security Administration (SSA). Filers can call 1-800-SSA-6270 to obtain the phone number of the SSA Employer Services Liaison Officers for their area.

.04 A taxpayer or authorized representative may request a copy of a tax return or a Form W-2 filed with a return by submitting Form 4506, Request for Copy of Tax Form, to IRS. This form may be obtained by calling 1-800-TAX-FORM (1-800-829-3676).

.05 Electronic Products and Services Support, Information Reporting Branch, Customer Service Section (I.R.B./CSS), located at IRS/ECC-MTB, answers electronic, paper filing, and tax law questions from the payer community relating to the correct preparation and filing of business information returns (Forms 1096, 1098, 1099, 5498, 8027, and W-2G). I.R.B./CSS also answers questions relating to the electronic filing of Forms 1042-S and to the tax law criteria and paper filing instructions for Forms W-2 and W-3. Inquiries dealing with backup withholding and reasonable cause requirements due to missing and incorrect taxpayer identification numbers are also addressed by I.R.B./CSS. Assistance is available year-round to payers, transmitters, and employers nationwide, Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Eastern Time, by calling toll-free 1-866-455-7438 or via e-mail at mccirp@irs.gov. Do not include SSNs or EINs in e-mails or attachments since this is not a secure line. The Telecommunications Device for the Deaf (TDD) toll number is 304-267-3367. Call as soon as questions arise to avoid the busy filing seasons at the end of January and February. Recipients of information returns (payees) should continue to contact 1-800-829-1040 with any questions on how to report the information returns data on their tax returns.

.06 The telephone numbers for tape cartridge or electronic submissions are:

.01 Section 6011(e)(2)(A) of the Internal Revenue Code requires that any person, including corporations, partnerships, individuals, estates, and trusts, required to file 250 or more information returns must file such returns electronically.

.02 The filing requirements apply separately to both original and corrected returns.

.03 The above requirements do not apply if you establish undue hardship (see Part A, Sec. 5).

.04 DO NOT SUBMIT THE SAME INFORMATION ON PAPER FORMS THAT YOU SUBMIT ELECTRONICALLY, SINCE THIS WOULD RESULT IN DUPLICATE FILING. This does not mean that corrected documents are not to be filed. If a return has been prepared and submitted improperly, you must file a corrected return as soon as possible. Refer to Part A, Sec. 10 for requirements and instructions for filing corrected returns.

.05 If an allocation of tips is based on a good faith agreement, a copy of this agreement must be submitted within 3 business days after receiving acknowledgement that IRS has accepted the electronically filed Form 8027. Mail or Fax a copy of this agreement using the contact information in Part A, Sec. 3. In your transmittal (e.g., fax transmittal or cover letter), include the words "Form 8027 attachment(s)" and the following information: name of establishment, establishment number, TCC and the tax year of the Form 8027.

.06 Employers can request a lower rate (but not lower than 2%) for tip allocation purposes by submitting an application to the IRS. See Sec. 31.6053-3(h)(4) of Employment Tax Regulations. Detailed instruction for requesting a lower rate can be found in the Instructions for Form 8027. The IRS will issue a determination letter to notify the employer when and for how long a reduced rate is effective. If a lower rate is used on the Form 8027 based on the IRS determination letter, a copy of this letter must be submitted within 3 business days after receiving acknowledgement that IRS has accepted the electronically filed Form 8027. Mail or Fax a copy of this agreement using the contact information in Part A, Sec. 3. In your transmittal (e.g., fax transmittal or cover letter), include the words "Form 8027 attachment(s)" and the following information: name of establishment, establishment number, TCC and the tax year of the Form 8027.

.07 Electronic reporting to IRS for Form 8027 must be on a calendar year basis. The due date for paper reported Forms 8027 is the last day of February. However, Forms 8027 filed electronically are due March 31.

.08 If the due date falls on a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday, filing Form 8027 on the next day that is not a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday will be considered timely.

Sec. 5. Form 8508, Request for Waiver From Filing Information Returns Electronically/Magnetically

.01 If an employer is required to file electronically but fails to do so and does not have an approved waiver on record, the employer will be subject to a penalty of $50 per return in excess of 250.

.02 If employers are required to file original or corrected returns electronically, but such filing would create a hardship, they may request a waiver from these filing requirements by submitting Form 8508, Request for Waiver From Filing Information Returns Electronically, to IRS/ECC-MTB. Form 8508 can be obtained on the IRS website at www.irs.gov or by calling toll-free 1-800-829-3676.

.03 Even though an employer may submit as many as 249 corrections on paper, IRS encourages electronic filing of corrections. Once the 250 threshold has been met, filers are required to submit any additional returns electronically. However, if a waiver for an original filing is approved, any corrections for the same type of returns will be covered under that waiver.

.04 Generally, only the employer may sign the Form 8508. A transmitter may sign if given power of attorney; however, a letter signed by the employer stating this fact must be attached to the Form 8508.

.05 A transmitter must submit a separate Form 8508 for each employer. Do not submit a list of employers.

.06 All information requested on the Form 8508 must be provided to IRS for the request to be processed.

.07 The waiver, if approved, will provide exemption from electronic filing for the current tax year only. Employers may not apply for a waiver for more than one tax year.

.08 Form 8508 may be photocopied or computer-generated as long as it contains all the information requested on the original form.

.09 Filers are encouraged to submit Form 8508 to IRS/ECC-MTB at least 45 days before the due date of the returns.

.10 All requests for a waiver should be sent using the following address:

.12 Waivers are evaluated on a case-by-case basis and are approved or denied based on criteria set forth under section 6011(e) of the Internal Revenue Code. The transmitter must allow a minimum of 30 days for IRS/ECC-MTB to respond to a waiver request.

.13 If a waiver request is approved, the transmitter should keep the approval letter on file.

.14 An approved waiver from filing Forms 8027 electronically does not provide exemption from all filing. The employer must timely file Form 8027 on acceptable paper forms with the Cincinnati Service Center. The transmitter should also send a copy of the approved waiver to the Cincinnati Service Center where the paper returns are filed.

Sec. 6. Form 4419, Application for Filing Information Returns Electronically

.01 For the purposes of this revenue procedure, the EMPLOYER is the organization supplying the information and the TRANSMITTER is the organization preparing the electronic file and/or sending the file to IRS/ECC-MTB. The employer and the transmitter may be the same entity. Employers or their transmitters are required to complete Form 4419, Application for Filing Information Returns Electronically.

.02 Form 4419 can be submitted at any time during the year; however, it should be submitted to IRS/ECC-MTB at least 30 days before the due date of the return(s). IRS will act on an application and notify the applicant, in writing, of authorization to file. A five-character alpha/numeric Transmitter Control Code (TCC) will be assigned and included in an acknowledgment letter within 15 to 45 days of receipt of the application. Electronic returns may not be filed with IRS until the application has been approved and a TCC assigned. Include your TCC in any correspondence with IRS/ECC-MTB.

.03 If you file information returns other than Form 8027 electronically, you must obtain a separate TCC for those types of returns. The TCC assigned for Forms 8027 is to be used for the processing of these forms only.

.04 After you have received approval to file electronically, you do not need to reapply each year; however, notify IRS in writing if:

.06 Approval to file does not imply endorsement by IRS/ECC-MTB of any computer software or of the quality of tax preparation services provided by a service bureau or software vendor.

Sec. 7. State Abbreviations

.01 The following state and U.S. possesion abbreviations are to be used when developing the state code portion of address fields.

 State            Code  State             Code  State                   Code

Note: A Form 8027 is required only for establishments in the 50 states and the District of Columbia.

Sec. 8. Extension of Time

.01 An extension of time to file may be requested for Form 8027.

.02 Form 8809, Application for Extension of Time To File Information Returns, should be submitted to IRS/ECC-MTB. This form may be used to request an extension of time to file information returns submitted on paper, or electronically. All requests for an extension of time filed on Form 8809 should be sent using the following address:

.03 The fill-in Form 8809 may be completed online via the FIRE System. (See Part B, Sec. 7, for instructions on connecting to the FIRE System.) At the Main Menu, click "Extension of Time Request" and then click "Fill-in Extension Form". This option is only used to request an automatic 30-day extension. Extension requests completed online via the FIRE System receive an instant response. If you are requesting an additional extension, you must submit a paper Form 8809. Requests for an additional extension of time to file information returns are not automatically granted. Requests for additional time are granted only in cases of extreme hardship or catastrophic event. The IRS will only send a letter of explanation approving or denying your additional extension request. (Refer to .06 of this Section.)

.04 Filers requesting an extension of time for multiple employers may submit one Form 8809 and attach a list of the employer names and their Employer Identification Numbers (EINs). The listing must be attached to ensure the extension is recorded for all employers. Form 8809 may be computer-generated or photocopied. Be sure that all the pertinent information is included.

.05 Requests for extensions of time for multiple employers will be responded to with one approval letter, accompanied by a list of employers covered under that approval.

.06 As soon as it is apparent that an extension of time to file is needed, Form 8809 may be submitted. When granted, the extension will be for 30 days. It will take a minimum of 30 days for IRS/ECC-MTB to respond to an extension request. Under certain circumstances, a request for an extension of time could be denied. When a denial letter is received, any additional or necessary information may be resubmitted within 20 days. When requesting an extension of time, do not hold your files waiting for a response.

.07 While very difficult to obtain, if an additional extension of time is needed, a second Form 8809 must be submitted before the end of the initial extension period. Line 7 on the form should be checked to indicate that an additional extension is being requested. A second 30-day extension will be approved only in cases of extreme hardship or catastrophic events.

.08 Form 8809 must be postmarked no later than the due date of the return for which an extension is requested. If requesting an extension of time to file several types of forms, use one Form 8809, but the Form 8809 must be postmarked no later than the earliest due date. For example, if requesting an extension of time to file both Forms 8027 and 5498, submit Form 8809 postmarked on or before the last day of February.

.09 If an extension request is approved, the approval letter should be kept on file. The approval letter or copy of the approval letter for extension of time should not be sent to IRS/ECC-MTB with the electronic file. When submitting Form 8027 on paper only to the Cincinnati Service Center, attach a copy of the approval letter. If an approval letter has not been received, send a copy of the timely filed Form 8809.

.10 Request an extension for only one tax year.

.11 The extension request must be signed by the employer or a person who is duly authorized to sign a return, statement or other document for the employer.

.12 Failure to properly complete and sign the Form 8809 may cause delays in processing the request or result in a denial. Carefully read and follow the instructions on the back of the Form 8809.

.13 Form 8809 may be obtained by calling 1-800-TAX-FORM (1-800-829-3676) or downloading from www.irs.gov.

Note: An extension of time to file is not an extension to furnish Form W-2 to the employee.

.14 Request an extension of time to furnish the statements to recipients of Forms W-2 by submitting a letter to IRS/ECC-MTB (See Part A, Sec. 3) containing the following information:

Sec. 9. Penalties

.01 The Revenue Reconciliation Act of 1989 changed the penalty provisions for any documents, including corrections, which are filed after the original filing date for the return. The penalty for failure to file correct information returns is "time sensitive," in that prompt correction of failures to file, or prompt correction of errors on returns that were filed, can lead to reduced penalties.

• The penalty generally is $50 for each information return that is not filed, or is not filed correctly, by the prescribed filing date, with a maximum penalty of $250,000 per year ($100,000 for certain small businesses with average annual gross receipts, over the most recent 3-year period, not in excess of $5,000,000). The penalty generally is reduced to:

• $30 for each failure to comply if the failure is corrected more than 30 days after the return was due, but on or before August 1 of the calendar year in which the return was due, with a maximum penalty of $150,000 per year ($50,000 for certain small businesses with average annual gross receipts, over the most recent 3-year period, not in excess of $5,000,000).

• $15 for each failure to comply if the failure is corrected within 30 days after the date the return was due, with a maximum penalty of $75,000 per year ($25,000 for certain small businesses with average annual gross receipts, over the most recent 3-year period, not in excess of $5,000,000).

Sec. 10. Corrected Returns, Paper Forms, and Computer-Generated Forms

.01 If returns must be corrected, approved electronic filers must provide such corrections electronically for 250 or more forms. If your information is filed electronically, corrected returns are identified by using the "Corrected 8027 Indicator" in field position 370 of the employer record.

.02 A correction file must be identified by entering the correction indicator "G" in position 370.

.03 When replacing a correction file that was bad, you must submit a replacement file. Since you are replacing a correction file you must enter the correction indicator "G" in position 370.

.04 If corrections are not submitted electronically, employers must submit them on official Forms 8027. Substitute forms that have been previously approved by IRS, or computer-generated forms that are exact facsimiles of the official form (except for minor page size or print style deviations), may be submitted without obtaining IRS approval before using the form.

.05 Employers/establishments may send corrected paper Forms 8027 to IRS at the address shown in Part A, Sec. 10.06. Corrected paper returns are identified by marking the "AMENDED" check box on Form 8027.

.06 If you are filing more than one paper Form 8027, you must attach a completed Form 8027-T, Transmittal of Employer's Annual Information Return of Tip Income and Allocated Tips, to the Forms 8027 and send to:

.07 If part of a submission is filed electronically and the rest of the submission is filed on paper Forms 8027, send the paper forms to the Cincinnati Service Center. For example, you filed your Forms 8027 electronically with IRS/ECC-MTB, and later you found that some of the forms you filed need correcting. Because of the low volume of corrections, you submit the corrections on paper Forms 8027. You must send these corrected Forms 8027 along with Form 8027-T to the Cincinnati Service Center.

Sec. 11. Validation of Form 8027 at IRS/ECC-MTB

.01 The accuracy of data reported on Form 8027 will be validated at the IRS Service Center. All fields indicated as "Required" in the record layout must contain valid information. If the IRS identifies an error, you will be notified and required to provide correct information.

.02 The address for the establishment must agree with the state and ZIP Code. If there are inconsistencies or if the ZIP code does not agree with the address the record will error out.

.03 All alpha characters must be in upper case.

.04 The following is clarification of monetary amount requirements:

 ELEMENT           DESCRIPTION

Sec. 1. General

.01 Electronic filing of Forms 8027 information returns, originals and replacements, is a reporting method for filers submitting 250 or more Forms 8027. Payers who are under the filing threshold requirement are encouraged to file electronically.

.02 All electronic filing of information returns are received at IRS/ECC-MTB via the FIRE (Filing Information Returns Electronically) System. To connect to the FIRE System, point your browser to http://fire.irs.gov. The system is designed to support the electronic filing of information returns only.

.03 The electronic filing of information returns is not affiliated with any other IRS electronic filing programs. Filers must obtain separate approval to participate in each program. Only inquiries concerning electronic filing of information returns should be directed to IRS/ECC-MTB.

.04 Files submitted to IRS/ECC-MTB electronically must be in standard ASCII code. Do not submit paper forms with the same information as electronically submitted files. This would create duplicate reporting resulting in penalty notices.

.05 Form 8809, Application for Extension of Time To File Information Returns, is available as a fill-in form via the FIRE System. If you do not already have a User ID and password refer to Section 7. At the Main Menu, click "Extension of Time Request" and then click "Fill-in Extension Form". This option is only used to request an automatic 30-day extension and must be completed by the due date of the return for each payer requesting an extension. Print the approval page for your records. Refer to Part A, Sec. 8 for additional details.

Sec. 2. Electronic Filing Approval Procedure

.01 Filers must obtain a Transmitter Control Code (TCC) prior to submitting files electronically. Filers who previously had a TCC for magnetic media filing of Form 8027 may use their assigned TCC for electronic filing. Refer to Part A, Sec. 6, for information on how to obtain a TCC.

.02 Once a TCC is obtained, electronic filers assign their own user ID, password and PIN (Personal Identification Number) and do not need prior or special approval. See Part B, Sec. 5, for more information on the PIN.

.03 If a filer is submitting files for more than one TCC, it is not necessary to create a separate logon and password for each TCC.

.04 For all passwords, it is the user's responsibility to remember the password and not allow the password to be compromised. Passwords are user assigned at first logon and must be 8 alpha/numeric characters containing at least 1 uppercase, 1 lowercase, and 1 numeric. However, filers who forget their password or PIN, can call toll-free 1-866-455-7438 for assistance. Users can change their passwords at any time from the main menu. The FIRE System may require users to change their passwords on a yearly basis.

Sec. 3. Test Files

.01 Filers are not required to submit a test file; however, the submission of a test file is encouraged for all new electronic filers to test hardware and software. If filers wish to submit an electronic test file for Tax Year 2008 (returns to be filed in 2009), it must be submitted to IRS/ECC-MTB no earlier than November 1, 2008, and no later than February 15, 2009.

.02 Filers who encounter problems while transmitting the electronic test file can contact IRS/ECC-MTB toll-free 1-866-455-7438 for assistance.

.03 Within 5 days, the results of the electronic transmission will be e-mailed to you providing you provide an accurate e-mail address on the "Verify Your Filing Information" screen. If you are using e-mail filtering software, configure your software to accept e-mail from fire@irs.gov and irs.e-helpmail@irs.gov. If after receiving the e-mail it indicates that your file is bad, you must log into the FIRE System and go to the CHECK FILE STATUS area of the FIRE System to determine what the errors are in your file. If you do not receive an e-mail in 5 business days, log back into the FIRE System and click on CHECK FILE STATUS to view the results of your file.

Sec. 4. Electronic Submissions

.01 Electronically filed information may be submitted to IRS/ECC-MTB 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Technical assistance will be available Monday through Friday between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Eastern time by calling toll-free 1-866-455-7438.

.02 The FIRE System will be down from the last week of December through the first week of January. This allows IRS/ECC-MTB to update its system to reflect current year changes.

.03 If you are sending files larger than 10,000 records electronically, data compression is encouraged. If you are considering sending files larger than 5 million records, please contact IRS/ECC-MTB for specifics. WinZip and PKZip are the only acceptable compression packages. IRS/ECC-MTB cannot accept self-extracting zip files or compressed files containing multiple files. The time required to transmit information returns electronically will vary depending upon the type of connection to the internet and if data compression is used. The time required to transmit a file can be reduced by as much as 95 percent by using compression.

.04 Transmitters may create files using self assigned files name(s). Files submitted electronically will be assigned a new unique file name by the FIRE System. The filename assigned by the FIRE System will consist of submission type (ORIG [original], TEST [test], CORR [correction], and REPL [replacement]), the filer's TCC and a four-digit number sequence. The sequence number will be incremented for every file sent. For example, if it is your first original file for the calendar year and your TCC is 44444, the IRS assigned filename would be ORIG.44444.0001. Record the filename. This information will be needed by IRS/ECC-MTB to identify the file, if assistance is required.

.05 If a file was submitted timely and is bad, the filer will have up to 60 days from the day the file was sent to transmit an acceptable file. If an acceptable file is not received within 60 days, then the payer could be subject to late filing penalties.

.06 The following definitions have been provided to help distinguish between a correction and a replacement:

• A correction is an information return submitted by the transmitter to correct an information return that was previously submitted to and successfully processed by IRS/ECC-MTB, but contained erroneous information. (See Note.)

• A replacement is an information return file sent by the filer because the CHECK FILE STATUS option on the FIRE System indicated the original/correction file was bad. After the necessary changes have been made, the file must be transmitted through the FIRE System. (See Note.)

.07 Prior year data may be submitted, however, each tax year must be submitted in a separate file transmission.

Sec. 5. PIN Requirements

.01 Filers will be prompted to create a PIN consisting of 10 numeric characters when establishing their initial logon name and password.

.02 The PIN is required each time an ORIGINAL, CORRECTION, or REPLACEMENT file is sent electronically and is permission to release the file. It is not needed for a TEST file. An authorized agent may enter their PIN, however, the payer is responsible for the accuracy of the returns. The payer will be liable for penalties for failure to comply with filing requirements. If you forget your PIN, please call toll-free 1-866-455-7438 for assistance.

Sec. 6. Electronic Filing Specifications

.01 The FIRE System is designed exclusively for the filing of Forms 8027, 1098, 1099, 5498, W-2G, and 1042-S.

.02 A transmitter must have a TCC (see Part A, Sec. 6) before a file can be transmitted.

.03 Within 5 days, the results of the electronic transmission will be e-mailed to you providing you provide an accurate e-mail address on the "Verify Your Filing Information" screen. If you are using e-mail filtering software, configure your software to accept e-mail from fire@irs.gov and irs.e-helpmail@irs.gov. If after receiving the e-mail it indicates that your file is bad, you must log into the FIRE System and go to the CHECK FILE STATUS area of the FIRE System to determine what the errors are in your file. If you do not receive an e-mail in 5 business days, log back into the FIRE System and click on CHECK FILE STATUS to view the results of your file.

Sec. 7. Connecting to the FIRE System

.01 Point your browser to http://fire.irs.gov to connect to the FIRE System.

.02 If you are running pop-up blocking software, disable it if you have problems uploading the file.

.03 Before connecting, have your TCC and TIN available.

.04 Your browser must support SSL 128-bit encryption.

First time connection to The FIRE System (If you have logged on previously, skip to Subsequent Connections to the FIRE System.)

At Menu Options:

The system will then display the company name, address, city, state, ZIP Code, phone number, contact and email address. This information will be used to e-mail the transmitter regarding this transmission. Update as appropriate and/or Click "Accept" .

Note: Please ensure that the e-mail is accurate so that the correct person receives the e-mail and it does not return to us undeliverable. If you are using SPAM filtering software, please configure it to allow an e-mail from fire@irs.gov and irs.e-helpmail@irs.gov.

Click one of the following:

• Original File

  Correction File

  Test File (This option will only be available November through mid-February.)

  Replacement File (Click on the file to be replaced.)

• Electronic Replacement (file was originally transmitted on this system) Click the file to be replaced.

• Mag Media Replacement (file was originally sent on some type of magnetic media.) Enter the alpha character from the letter (L-2494) that was returned. It is located on the top right on the letter under "Refer Reply To:" For example, if the letter indicates TCC 44444A, the alpha code that would be entered is "A". Click "Submit".

•  

  Enter your 10-digit PIN.

  Click "Submit".

  Click "Browse" to locate the file and open it.

  Click "Upload".

If you have more files to upload for that TCC:

Checking your FILE STATUS

At the Main Menu:

.01 The following are the major errors associated with electronic filing:

NON-FORMAT ERRORS

1. SPAM filters are not set to receive e-mail from fire@irs.gov and irs.e-helpmail@irs.gov.

If you want to receive e-mails concerning your files, processing results, reminders and notices, set your SPAM filter to receive e-mail from fire@irs.gov and irs.e-helpmail@irs.gov.

2. Incorrect e-mail provided.

When the "Verify Your Filing Information" screen is displayed, make sure your correct e-mail is displayed. If not, please update with the correct e-mail.

3. Transmitter does not check the FIRE System to determine file acceptability.

The results of your file transfer are posted to the FIRE System within 5 business days. If the correct e-mail address was provided on the "Verify Your Filing Information" screen when the file was sent, an e-mail will be sent regarding your FILE STATUS. If the results in the e-mail indicate "Good, Released" and you agree with the "Count of Payees", then you are finished with this file. If you have any other results, please follow the instructions in the Check File Status option. If the file contains errors, you can get an online listing of the errors. Date received and number of payee records is also displayed.

4. Replacement file is not submitted timely.

If your file is bad, correct the file and timely resubmit as a replacement.

5. Transmitter compresses several files into one.

Only compress one file at a time. For example, if you have 10 uncompressed files to send, compress each file separately and send 10 separate compressed files.

6. Transmitter sends an original file that is good, and then sends a correction file for the entire file even though there are only a few changes.

The correction file, containing the proper coding, should only contain the records needing correction, not the entire file.

7. File is formatted as EBCDIC.

All files submitted electronically must be in standard ASCII code. All alpha characters must be uppercase.

8. Transmitter has one TCC number, but is filing for multiple companies, which TIN should be used when logging into the system to send the file?

When sending the file electronically, you will need to enter the TIN of the company assigned to the TCC. When you upload the file, it will contain the TINs for the other companies that you are filing for. This is the information that will be passed forward.

9. Transmitter sent the wrong file, what should be done?

Call us as soon as possible toll-free 1-866-455-7438. We may be able to stop the file before it has been processed. Please do not send a replacement for a file that is marked as a good file.

Note 1: For tax year 2008 filed in calendar year 2009, IRS/ECC-MTB will no longer accept tape cartridges. Electronic filing will be the ONLY acceptable method for filing Form 8027.

Note 2: The only allowable characters in name and address fields are alphas, numeric characters, and blanks. Punctuation such as periods, hyphens, ampersands, slashes and commas are not allowed and will cause your file to be rejected. For example, O'Hurley's Bar & Grill, 210 N. Queen St., Suite #300 must be entered as OHurleys Bar Grill 210 N Queen St Suite 300.

Sec. 1. Record Format and Layout

 FORM 8027 RECORD FORMAT