Preparer follow-up resource

Choose a scenario. Ask the questions. Keep the answers.

Start with the TaxSlayer interview, then choose the situation that needs more detail. Each section includes the actual follow-up questions, spaces for answers, a document checklist, and a review decision. Use only the sections that apply.

01 / Choose the situation

Search or open a scenario below. Skip questions already answered clearly in the client file.

02 / Complete the interview

Type the client’s actual answers and note what records are still needed.

03 / Save and review

Print or copy your notes to the secure client file. Flag or pause unresolved items.

Complete here, then save to the secure client file. Answers stay on this open page only. They are not submitted or saved automatically and disappear when you refresh or leave. Use a client reference instead of SSNs or bank details. Print to PDF or copy the completed notes before closing.

Client intake forms included

Need the full intake first?

Open a fillable PDF, complete the questions, and return it through your office’s secure portal. These forms collect the broader facts; the scenario sections below capture follow-up details.

General client intake ↗Dependents & household ↗Separated parents & custody ↗Self-employment ↗Vehicle & equipment ↗Rental property ↗College & childcare ↗Prior years & notices ↗

Business questions, explained

Schedule C, COGS & mileage

Line-by-line guidance, food versus cleaning costs, income reconstruction, depreciation, vehicle records, commuting rules and a tax-preparer mileage example.

Open business guide ↗

11 scenarios

01Niece, nephew, grandchild, or another relativeUse when a relative claim needs facts about parents, living arrangements, competing claims, or support that are not clear in the return.

Open matching fillable intake PDF ↗

Client referenceTax yearInterview datePreparer

Ask the client

Why is your niece, nephew, grandchild, or other relative in your care? Where were the parents living during the tax year?
If residency is unclear: what dates did the person live with you, their parents, or anyone else? Explain temporary absences.
Could a parent or another person qualify to claim them? If nobody else plans to claim them, what facts establish that your client qualifies?
If the person could be a qualifying child of someone else: what parent/other-claimant facts and AGI information are needed to apply the applicable rules?
If support or income matters under the applicable dependency test: who paid which costs, how much income did the person have, and how were those figures determined?

Document in the client file

Reviewed / saved: Family explanation: why the relative is in the client’s care and where the parents live
Reviewed / saved: Missing residency, competing-claim, AGI, income, or support facts relevant to the applicable test
Reviewed / saved: Dated follow-up questions and actual responses, any records relied upon, and the resulting conclusion

Review before filing

Do not assume the claim is valid because a parent agrees or will not file. Evaluate the applicable qualifying-child or qualifying-relative rules and document the family explanation.

Finish this scenario

Information source — who, how, and whenMissing documents or facts / explanation of any mismatchResolution and reason for the treatmentReview decisionNext step / responsible person / follow-up date

02Custody answers or competing claims do not matchUse for unclear nights, conflicting parent statements, or a release/claim that does not match the facts already recorded.

Open matching fillable intake PDF ↗

Client referenceTax yearInterview datePreparer

Ask the client

Which residency answer is unclear or conflicting? Build a nights-by-parent timeline only for the period needing clarification, including temporary absences.
What does the other parent expect to claim? Has someone already filed, or are there different accounts of where the child lived?
If a release is relevant: which years does Form 8332 cover, who signed it, and has it been revoked?
What explains any difference between the custody paperwork, the client’s account, and the federal tax treatment?

Document in the client file

Reviewed / saved: Nights-by-parent timeline, relevant agreements, and any Form 8332 or revocation relied upon
Reviewed / saved: Benefit-by-benefit conclusion and the facts supporting it

Review before filing

A parent’s agreement or custody order does not determine every federal tax benefit. Form 8332 does not transfer EITC, HOH, or dependent-care eligibility.

Finish this scenario

Information source — who, how, and whenMissing documents or facts / explanation of any mismatchResolution and reason for the treatmentReview decisionNext step / responsible person / follow-up date

03Household contributions are unclear or inconsistentUse only when the costs or funding already entered do not establish who paid the required share, or conflict with other information.

Open matching fillable intake PDF ↗

Client referenceTax yearInterview datePreparer

Ask the client

You said you pay all the bills, but someone else pays rent or contributes. Which costs did each person actually pay, and how were the amounts calculated?
What explains any difference between the household totals entered and the records or client’s explanation?
If the reported income does not explain the contribution: did savings, loans, benefits, another income source, or help from others fund the costs?
What specific unresolved fact about marital status, the qualifying person, or residency affects the HOH conclusion? Ask only for the missing detail.

Document in the client file

Reviewed / saved: Household-cost worksheet showing total qualifying costs and the client’s contribution
Reviewed / saved: Marital/residency facts and information supporting the qualifying-person determination

Review before filing

Skip this section when the software’s household interview and saved facts are complete and consistent. If follow-up is needed, retain the clarification and any revised household-cost computation.

Finish this scenario

Information source — who, how, and whenMissing documents or facts / explanation of any mismatchResolution and reason for the treatmentReview decisionNext step / responsible person / follow-up date

04Marital status is uncertain or conflictingUse when the selected status conflicts with the client’s story, records, informal-marriage statements, or separation dates.

Open matching fillable intake PDF ↗

Client referenceTax yearInterview datePreparer

Ask the client

What explains the difference between the marital status selected and how you described the relationship?
If informal marriage may apply: did you agree to be married, live together in the relevant state, and represent yourselves as married? Where and when?
If a prior marriage or divorce is unclear: what document and final date resolve the status?
If considered-unmarried treatment is being reviewed: what exact spouse-residency or other eligibility fact is still missing?

Document in the client file

Reviewed / saved: Client’s exact explanation, dates, state involved, and documents relied upon
Reviewed / saved: Any unresolved state-law marital-status issue referred for qualified review

Review before filing

Do not repeat a clear marital-status interview. Resolve state-law uncertainty before choosing a filing status; refer a disputed legal issue for qualified review.

Finish this scenario

Information source — who, how, and whenMissing documents or facts / explanation of any mismatchResolution and reason for the treatmentReview decisionNext step / responsible person / follow-up date

05Business totals lack support or do not add upUse when receipts, expenses, cash activity, or the existence of a business are unclear; not for every completed Schedule C.

Open matching fillable intake PDF ↗

Client referenceTax yearInterview datePreparer

Ask the client

How was this income figure calculated? Reconcile it to jobs, prices, sales records, cash, payment apps, and tax forms without double-counting.
What business activity produced it? If activity is unclear, ask when the client operated, how they found customers, and what work or sales occurred.
Which deposits or app transfers were excluded as nonbusiness, and what explains those exclusions?
What supports the expense totals? Which costs, reimbursements, or records are missing or inconsistent?
If original records are incomplete, what available evidence supports a reasonable reconstruction, and how was it calculated?

Document in the client file

Reviewed / saved: Source-by-source receipts reconciliation and expense detail
Reviewed / saved: Any reconstruction method, assumptions, available evidence, and client responses
Reviewed / saved: Explanation of missing records and unresolved inconsistencies

Review before filing

Keep the calculation, explanation, and records relied upon. Do not invent income or expenses to obtain a desired refund.

Finish this scenario

Information source — who, how, and whenMissing documents or facts / explanation of any mismatchResolution and reason for the treatmentReview decisionNext step / responsible person / follow-up date

06Low income, no expenses, or another contradictionUse when a specific fact does not fit the return, such as business operations with unexplained zero expenses or household funding that is unclear.

Open matching fillable intake PDF ↗

Client referenceTax yearInterview datePreparer

Ask the client

What explains the mismatch you identified? Ask the client about that specific fact rather than repeating the full intake.
If needed to explain living costs: what income, benefits, savings, loans, or help from others funded them?
If an operating business reports no expenses: who supplied or paid for the necessary materials, fees, transportation, and equipment? Were amounts reimbursed or overlooked?
What information resolves the inconsistency, and what remains unresolved?

Document in the client file

Reviewed / saved: The inconsistency identified, the dated questions asked, client responses, and resolution
Reviewed / saved: Relevant records actually relied upon; avoid treating every household contribution as taxable income

Review before filing

Low income alone is not proof of an error. Document the specific concern and explanation; do not automatically treat loans, benefits, or family help as taxable income.

Finish this scenario

Information source — who, how, and whenMissing documents or facts / explanation of any mismatchResolution and reason for the treatmentReview decisionNext step / responsible person / follow-up date

07Vehicle or asset information is incompleteUse when business use, prior depreciation, dates, basis, or a sale/trade is missing or does not match the return.

Open matching fillable intake PDF ↗

Client referenceTax yearInterview datePreparer

Ask the client

Which purchase, first-business-use, sale, or conversion date is missing or inconsistent? What record resolves it?
How was the claimed business-use percentage calculated? What mileage or usage evidence addresses the gap?
What prior depreciation schedule or return information is needed to explain basis or earlier treatment?
What explains a change in use, trade-in, sale, or other fact that may affect the method or recapture review?

Document in the client file

Reviewed / saved: Purchase/sale paperwork, business-use support, and prior depreciation schedules
Reviewed / saved: Facts requiring review of basis, prior elections, recapture, or method restrictions

Review before filing

Do not redo a complete asset interview. Resolve the missing fact before selecting or confirming the filing-year treatment.

Finish this scenario

Information source — who, how, and whenMissing documents or facts / explanation of any mismatchResolution and reason for the treatmentReview decisionNext step / responsible person / follow-up date

08Education amounts or credit history do not matchUse when Form 1098-T, actual payments, scholarships, other benefits, or prior AOTC claims leave a gap or conflict.

Open matching fillable intake PDF ↗

Client referenceTax yearInterview datePreparer

Ask the client

What explains the difference between Form 1098-T, the school statement, and the amount used on the return?
Which expenses were paid with scholarships, grants, employer benefits, or education-account funds? Which allocation is still unclear?
Who paid or can claim the student if the answers conflict?
If prior AOTC years or enrollment eligibility are uncertain, what history or school information resolves the issue?

Document in the client file

Reviewed / saved: Actual payments, scholarship/benefit allocation, and expenses used for each benefit
Reviewed / saved: Prior-credit history, eligibility facts, and documents relied upon

Review before filing

Verify actual eligible payments and avoid incompatible double use of expenses. Ask only for facts missing from the existing education interview.

Finish this scenario

Information source — who, how, and whenMissing documents or facts / explanation of any mismatchResolution and reason for the treatmentReview decisionNext step / responsible person / follow-up date

09Care expenses or provider facts need clarificationUse when care payments, provider details, work-related purpose, benefits, or residency are missing or conflicting.

Open matching fillable intake PDF ↗

Client referenceTax yearInterview datePreparer

Ask the client

Which payment or reimbursement does not match? What amount was actually paid, by whom, and for what care dates?
What employer benefits or other reimbursements explain the difference?
If the care’s work-related purpose or provider relationship is unclear, what specific facts resolve it?
If parents live apart and care eligibility is unclear, what custody/residency fact is missing?

Document in the client file

Reviewed / saved: Care dates, provider details collected securely, costs, benefits, and reimbursements
Reviewed / saved: Work, residency, and qualifying-person facts needing review

Review before filing

Do not repeat completed care questions. Resolve the particular gap under the dependent-care rules; a dependent claim alone does not establish eligibility.

Finish this scenario

Information source — who, how, and whenMissing documents or facts / explanation of any mismatchResolution and reason for the treatmentReview decisionNext step / responsible person / follow-up date

10Marketplace policy or household details do not matchUse for a missing/corrected Form 1095-A, different household members on a policy, or coverage months that conflict.

Client referenceTax yearInterview datePreparer

Ask the client

Which coverage month or person differs between the return and Form 1095-A?
Is a form missing, corrected, or disputed? What is needed to establish the correct coverage information?
If someone on the policy is outside this tax household, what allocation facts or other-filer information are still needed?
What marriage, divorce, or household change explains the mismatch?

Document in the client file

Reviewed / saved: All relevant coverage forms, covered persons/months, and household-change details
Reviewed / saved: Any allocation facts, agreed percentages where applicable, and unresolved form corrections

Review before filing

Resolve the specific coverage or allocation issue before finalizing the affected return; do not repeat a complete, matching policy interview.

Finish this scenario

Information source — who, how, and whenMissing documents or facts / explanation of any mismatchResolution and reason for the treatmentReview decisionNext step / responsible person / follow-up date

11Prior notices or credit denials raise an unresolved issueUse when a prior denial, restriction, amendment, or notice affects the current claim and the existing record does not resolve it.

Open matching fillable intake PDF ↗

Client referenceTax yearInterview datePreparer

Ask the client

What does the actual notice say about the affected year, credit, reason, and any restriction?
What explains a difference between the client’s account and the notice or prior return?
What action was taken, and what remains unresolved? Does a deadline or missing record need attention?
What information is needed to determine whether Form 8862, another procedure, or qualified review applies?

Document in the client file

Reviewed / saved: Notice and prior-return details, actions taken, and documents relied upon
Reviewed / saved: Review of whether Form 8862 or other procedures apply; any referral or hold

Review before filing

Do not assume software acceptance resolves a prior denial. Review the notice and document the applicable next step.

Finish this scenario

Information source — who, how, and whenMissing documents or facts / explanation of any mismatchResolution and reason for the treatmentReview decisionNext step / responsible person / follow-up date

A useful note records facts.

Use this blank structure in the client’s file. Replace each bracket with the actual information; do not save the outline as if the interview were complete.

Interview date / preparer: [ ] Tax year / scenario: [ ] Information source — who, how, and when: [ ] Questions asked and client’s actual responses: [ ] Documents reviewed and relied upon: [ ] Inconsistencies / missing information: [ ] Resolution and tax treatment, with basis: [ ] Outstanding items / reviewer / next step: [ ]

“Reviewed and documented” alone does not preserve the underlying facts. Keep the required due-diligence records for the applicable retention period; verify the IRS timing rules.

Sources and further review

These prompts are an interview aid, not an exhaustive eligibility test. Verify current filing-year instructions. The special Form 8867 requirements apply to EITC, CTC/ACTC/ODC, AOTC, and HOH; other return items still require appropriate factual and legal review.

IRS: Form 8867 instructions ↗IRS: Knowledge and recordkeeping ↗IRS: Dependents and separated parents ↗IRS: Publication 501 ↗IRS: Schedule C instructions ↗IRS: Publication 970 ↗Texas State Law Library: Informal marriage ↗