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Processing times for Iowa income tax returns

  • eFile: days
  • Paper-file: weeks; up to an additional 6 months if errors
  • Amended: About 6 months; approximately 30 days if by State Only software

Electronically File Iowa & Federal Returns

What's New

2007 Electronic Filing Handbook (pdf)

What's inside:

  • Three Classifications of Participants
  • Calendar
  • Acknowledgements
  • Application Process
  • List of Excluded Returns and Schedules
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Forms and Publications
IDR ELF Coordinator Contact Info
Applying to eFile Iowa income tax returns
  • Beginning with the 2007 income tax return, if EROs use the Practitioner PIN method, they obtain pen and ink signatures on the Federal 8879.  As a result, EROs must also obtain pen and ink signatures on the IA 8453.
  • IA 1040 STEP 7: Standard deduction amounts for TY2007 are $1,700 and $4,200. See generic field 550 and Unformatted IA 1040S field 300, both corresponding to IA 1040 line 41 A & B.
  • Table of valid school districts for 2007 (pdf); some rates have changed.
  • Iowa Earned Income Tax Credit is now refundable on line 65 of the IA 1040.
  • New filing thresholds for taxpayers 65 and older: $18,000 and $24,000
  • New alternate tax calculation for taxpayers 65 or older
  • Social Security Phase-out begins; line 13 of the IA 1040
  • See 2007 Expanded Instructions for additional information
  • No Iowa eFile Registration required for new EROs.
  • State Only eFiled Returns are accepted.
  • eFiled Amended Returns are accepted.
  • PIN signature is not allowed on State Only eFiled Returns.

1. ePay (direct debit) through eFile & Pay

2. Credit Card Payment through Official Payments Corp.

This Q&A from Official Payments Corp. (pdf) should answer most of your questions.

Give your credit card information and the type of payment. A 2.5% service fee is charged by Official Payments Corp. Cards accepted: Visa, Master Card, American Express, Discover.
  1. Mail a check or money order.....
    with the IA 1040-V Payment Voucher (pdf) made payable to:
    Treasurer, State of Iowa. Payments must be at least $1. Write your Social Security Number on the check or money order. Address for mailing is on the IA 1040-V Payment Voucher.

IDR ELF Coordinator

The Iowa Department of Revenue does not have a single ELF coordinator for Iowa. Instead, several employees have ELF responsibilities.

Your Iowa contact is eFile Service Unit.

Phone 515/281-8453 or 1-866-503-3453.

Applying to eFile Iowa income tax returns

EROs/Transmitters do not send a copy of the IRS 8633 or IRS acceptance letter to us. Once you have been accepted for Federal, the acceptance is automatic for Iowa.

Software Developer Information

Iowa requires all software developers to apply and test on an annual basis. Testing consists of the following:

  1. Provide a letter of intent (MS Word) to participate in the program. List the contact's name, address, telephone and fax numbers, and product name, and identify any excluded forms or product limitations. A password and ID will be provided to access the Iowa Developers Site.
  2. Contact Deb Dotzenrod /Iowa Department of Revenue with the anticipated start date for transmitting test returns.
  3. Transmit the required number of accurate returns from the current Iowa test package, available in the Developers Site.

Prior to testing, each developer is assigned a unique code, which must appear in all Iowa returns created by the software package.

Software developers will be provided feedback on all test returns transmitted. The department will send a written notice when the software is approved for Iowa electronic filing.

The department will not accept "live" returns by any developer until the software package is approved.

Transmitter Testing

Transmitters and EROs are not required to test with Iowa. However, the department will accept and process any test returns it receives.

Transmitters who establish a mailbox with StAck are strongly encouraged to test their ability to process State acknowledgment files.

Amending an Iowa Return

Wait until the original return is processed before you amend the Iowa return. If your client was expecting a refund, wait until he/she receives the refund. If a paper check was received, it should be cashed.

You have two choices to amend, regardless of how you filed initially. These options are available if the original return was filed on paper or e-filed.
  1. Amend the return using the IA 1040X (pdf). It will take approximately 6 months to process.
  2. Amend the return using State Only software. This will take about 30 days for our department to process.