Create and send tax return delivery

Note

This article applies to firms in the US.

Tax return delivery is a convenient way to present your client’s tax return in a clear, structured format, request payment if needed, and obtain a signature. It allows you to answer key questions right away, so your client won’t need additional explanations or clarifications. It speeds up the process and reduces the chance of errors, making it easier to complete required steps.

Create tax return delivery

The tax return delivery is a tool that allows you to create an explanatory note and send it to your client along with the tax return documents. It is part of TaxDome’s tax return intake and delivery workflow , which helps you collect documents, prepare and deliver completed tax returns to clients. Follow the steps below to create one.

Step 1. Choose documents

First, you need to upload the tax return documents or choose existing ones. You can create the tax return delivery from a single document or combine multiple documents .

Also, you can create a tax return delivery directly from the Job card . This way, it will be automatically linked to the job.

Note

• Only the firm owner, admin, and team members with the manage documents permission can create and edit a tax return delivery.

• Upload your tax return documents into a folder with Client can view permission . Otherwise, you will not be able to share it with the client.

• You cannot create a tax return delivery from a document that has a pending approval request or is locked to an unpaid invoice . Resolve these first before creating the delivery.

Start with the single document

Web Desktop

To create a tax return delivery with a single document:

• Go to client’s Documents or Documents > Clients docs: Click the three dots near the document you need and select Prepare tax return delivery from the menu.

• Open the tax return document, click the three dots, and select Prepare tax return delivery.

After uploading the tax return document via the Windows app , click Delivery in the file actions menu . This opens the tax return delivery page in your browser, where you can configure and send the tax return package to your client.

Start with multiple documents

Note

The same document can be added to multiple delivery packages as needed. Attached invoices and signature requests won’t carry over—only the document itself will be included.

You can create a tax return delivery for multiple documents at once—TaxDome will automatically merge them into one file. To do this:

1. Go to client’s Documents or Documents > Clients docs.

2. Choose all the documents you need; only PDF files are supported.

3. Click Prepare tax return delivery.

4. Review your selection. You can add more documents if you have missed something.

5. Toggle on the Delete original files after creating tax return delivery if the tax return contains duplicate files from previously uploaded documents.

6. Click Continue.

7. Name the combined document and choose a folder to save.

8. Click Save and continue. The documents will be combined into a single PDF file.

Start without document selection

You can open the editor first, and then choose the documents for the tax return. To do so:

1. Open the editor in one of the following ways:

   • Click New > Tax return delivery

   • Go to the Tax return delivery section of the client’s docs and click New tax return delivery

   • Open the job card from your pipeline or Workflow > Jobs section, click New, and select Tax return delivery from the list

2. Add all the documents you need from TaxDome or from your computer; only PDF files are supported.

3. Click Continue.

4. If you’ve uploaded files from your computer, choose a folder to save files and click Save&Continue.

Start from the job card

You can create a tax return delivery directly from a job card—it will be automatically linked to that job. For details, see the dedicated article .

Step 2. Group pages

To help clients focus on what matters most, you can specify:

a) Highlights & Tax summary. The most important pages for your client: payment deadlines, special instructions, or anything else they should pay attention to before filing.

b) Signature requests. Pages that require the client’s signature.

c) Payment vouchers. Pages that contain official IRS or state-issued payment vouchers, that clients can download and print to make an offline payment.

Tip

AI can also group these pages automatically—see AI-assisted page grouping (Beta) below.

You can enter page numbers one by one (e.g., 1, 2) or as a range (e.g., 3–5). Your clients will receive the chosen pages along with tax return summaries. The full tax return document will also be available.

AI-assisted page grouping (Beta)

Work in progress

The functionality is being developed and currently available for Beta users. Docs on using the feature are being prepared.

TaxDome AI automatically sorts pages into Highlights, Signature requests, and Payment vouchers, instead of you entering page numbers manually.

Note

If processing takes longer than two minutes, a Stop AI button appears in the banner. Stopping switches the delivery to manual entry and can’t be undone for it—AI can’t be restarted on that delivery.

Turn on the Sort tax return into sections toggle in Settings > Firm settings > TaxDome AI, where you can also choose which form types belong in each section. Click Suggest a form if AI doesn’t recognize a form you need grouped, to send TaxDome a request to add it.

Note

AI can make mistakes, so review the grouped pages before sending the delivery to your client.

Step 3. Add introduction

Add some introductory context and client-facing explanations in the Intro section to help your client better understand the tax return. You can write introduction from scratch or use a template

To improve client’s experience:

• Use formatting: different fonts, font sizes, lists, and links

• Insert shortcodes to personalize the intro with dynamic data—such as the client’s name, account name, or custom field values

• Upload images from your computer

• Embed videos via a Loom or YouTube link (other platforms are not supported)

Step 4. Fill out tax return summary

The tax return summary gives clients a quick overview of their taxes, penalties, and refunds without reviewing the full return. It highlights key amounts so clients can quickly see what they owe, what they’re getting back, how and when to pay. To add a tax return summary:

Tip

AI can also fill out these fields automatically from the tax return—see AI-assisted tax summary (Beta) below.

1. Go to Highlights & Tax summary or Payment vouchers section.

2. Click on the + next to the summary type you want to add:

   • Taxes owed
   • Estimated payments
   • Refunds

You can add multiple entries of the same type, even for Federal, State and City tax.

3. Fill out the required details.

For estimated payments and taxes owed:

• Authority: Federal, State, or City
• Due date
• Payment method
• Tax owed or voucher amount
• Credit from the prior year (for payments due only)
• Penalties and interest (for payments due only)

For Refunds:

• Authority: Federal, State, or City
• Overpayment
• Penalties and interest
• Applied to next year’s tax

Note

The amount to pay and refunds to be received will be calculated automatically.

4. Add a comment with payment instructions to each summary type if needed.

5. Click Save.

6. Add other summary type if needed.

You will still be able to review the section and make changes . To delete the summary, click Remove section or Remove all.

Payment methods available

The payment method tells clients how to complete each payment. There are five payment methods to choose from:

1. Authority portal. Payment is made directly on the tax authority’s website. When you select an authority (like a state), TaxDome automatically provides clients with a link to that authority’s payment portal . On the client side, this appears as an active Pay (external link) button.

Note

We include payment portal links for federal and most state tax authorities. Local authority links are not available yet.

2. Auto-withdrawal scheduled. Payment will be automatically withdrawn from the client’s account on the scheduled date. No manual payment is needed from the client. On the client side, this appears with a Do not pay label, and the payment button is disabled so clients don’t pay twice.

3. Firm will handle. You are going to process the payment on behalf of the client. On the client side, this appears with a Do not pay label, and the payment button is disabled since no action is needed from the client.

4. Online payment only. The client needs to pay through an online system, but not necessarily through a tax authority’s website. On the client side, this appears as an active Pay (external link) button labeled Only online.

5. EFTPS only. Payment must be made through the IRS’s official system for electronic tax payments (EFTPS). On the client side, this appears as an active Pay (external link) button labeled Only EFTPS required.

AI-assisted tax summary (Beta)

Work in progress

The functionality is being developed and currently available for Beta users. Docs on using the feature are being prepared.

TaxDome AI automatically extracts key details from the tax return and fills out the tax summary—amount owed or refund, payment method, due dates, estimated payments, and estimated payment dates, for both federal and state—instead of you entering each field manually.

Turn on the Prefill tax summary toggle in Settings > Firm settings > TaxDome AI.

If AI finds conflicting amounts for the same payment across different source forms, or can’t determine a payment method, the summary flags it for review:

• Amount conflict: the card shows the amount from the higher-priority source, with an orange badge next to it.
• Default payment method: if AI can’t determine a payment method, it defaults to Authority portal, flagged with the same badge.

When flagged items exist, a Some items need your review block appears with Confirm all and Change payment methods buttons. Saving any card, or using either button, clears the flags on all cards. If you click Send to client while flagged items remain, you can choose to review them first or send anyway.

Note

AI can make mistakes, so review the summary before sending the delivery to your client.

Step 5. Set up payment reminders

If you want your client to receive a notification about pending payments, toggle on Send automatic payment reminders after creating a tax summary .

Your client will receive a reminder 14 days before the payment deadline. If the payment due date is fewer than two weeks, the reminder is sent immediately after the client signs the tax return—or approves it, if approval (Beta) is required.

The reminder includes payment details—such as authority, due date, amount, and payment method—so clients can see what’s expected of them. The reminder links to the Tax summary section in the client portal, where payment instructions and links are available.

You can check the reminder status on the Tax return delivery page within the sent document.

Step 6. Set up approval (Beta)

Work in progress

The functionality is being developed and currently available for Beta users. Docs on using the feature are being prepared.

Turn on Require client approval to add an optional confirmation step—off by default—before your client can move on to signing. With approval required, the client must review the tax return and either approve it or request changes before continuing.

To set up approval:

1. Go to Approval section.

2. Toggle on Require client approval.

3. From the Choose who approves dropdown, select who can approve the tax return:

   • A specific contact with portal access—only that person can approve or request changes.

   • Anyone—any contact with portal access and notifications on can approve or request changes.

Contacts without portal access are listed as Can’t approve yet; enable portal access for a contact to make them eligible.

Note

When you select a specific contact, the tax return delivery appears in the to-do list only for that user. Other linked contacts don’t see the card. If Anyone is selected, the card is visible to all eligible contacts.

Step 7. Request signature

To provide your clients with an smooth end-to-end experience, include your signature and add signature placeholders directly in the tax return. To do this:

1. Click Signature requests. For your convenience, this section will only display the pages you specified in the Group pages for client delivery section.

2. Choose signers. You can select contacts linked to the account who have access to the portal.

3. Drag and drop the signature field. If needed, hover over one of the field corners and resize the field. You can also request KBA.

Note

If you decide to use KBA, you are charged for each signer’s attempt to complete a signature field with KBA. Learn more about KBA pricing .

Note

Tax return delivery doesn’t send automatic signature reminders. To notify clients about pending actions, set up reminders for the entire delivery package when sending it.

Step 8. Link tax return to invoice

You can attach invoices directly to your tax return delivery to ensure clients pay before accessing the document. This creates a seamless experience where clients pay, review, and sign in one flow, helping you receive payments faster.

Note

If you have linked a tax return delivery to an invoice, the client cannot review or download it until they complete the payment. Learn more about locking documents to invoices .

To add an invoice to your tax return delivery:

1. Go to the Invoice section.

2. Click Link invoice.

3. Choose an invoice from those you have already sent to the client or create a new one .

4. Click Save.

Review delivery package and send to client

Once you have created a tax return delivery , the document is visible under the Docs tab in the Tax return delivery section. You’ll be able to review it and make changes. However, the tax return delivery will not be visible to the client until you send it. Here’s how:

1. Click Send to client on any page of the tax return delivery creation process.

2. Review the included sections.

3. Set up automatic reminder emails for the entire delivery package to nudge clients to review the package: select the number of reminders and the interval between them. You can review and edit reminders at any time.

4. Add a message if you’d like. The client will receive it as an email.

5. Click Send to client again to confirm.

Client view

Once you send the tax return delivery, clients can review the delivery package and find all their tax payments in the Tax summary section.

Tax return delivery package

The client will see the tax return delivery in their To-do list on the homepage. If you have linked the document to an invoice , they will see an Awaiting payment card.

After payment (if required), clients can review their tax return step by step:

1. Read the introduction (if available).

2. Review the tax return summary along with the specific pages you selected in the Group pages for client delivery section.

3. If approval (Beta) is required, approve the tax return or request changes.

4. Sign the document.

If the client requests changes, the tax return delivery comes back to you with their message. From there, you can resend it without making any changes if nothing actually needs fixing, create a new tax return delivery with the necessary adjustments, or message the client directly if it’s unclear what they’re requesting.

If approval (Beta) is required and the approver is set to Anyone, all other users with Login and Notify turned on receive a notification as soon as one of them approves the tax return delivery.

Tax summary

Clients see all filed returns in the Tax summary section of their portal. Inside each return, they’ll find payment amounts with key details, links to authority portals for online payment, and the specific voucher pages you selected for offline or bank payments. Clients can mark payments as paid and refunds as received, and download signed tax returns when available.

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