How to sign documents

Electronic signatures, recognized by law in many countries (including the US, Canada, and Europe) since the early 2000s, are as valid as traditional paper signatures. No need to visit your accountant's office or send documents via mail—simply sign any document directly on your client portal or by clicking a link in the email received. In this article, we will explain how.

Covered here:

• E-signing firm-prepared documents
  • Declining to e-sign the document
• Editing your e-signature
• Adding a handwritten signature
• E-signature with knowledge-based authentication (KBA)
• Handling SSN verification error for KBA
• E-signature with Qualified or Advanced electronic signatures (QES/AdES)
• Document is pending e-signature, but there are no signature fields

E-signing firm-prepared documents

You can review and e-sign documents either from your portal or right from the email link received from your firm. 

• To review and sign a document from the portal, go to the Documents section on the Home page or click Documents on the left to find documents pending signatures. Open the document you need.

• To review and sign a document from the email, open the link in the email. Note that it expires in seven days after being sent. So, if it's already expired, ask your firm to resend the signature request.

After you open the document, follow these steps for signing:

1. If you receive the signature request for the first time, read the Electronic Signatures Disclosure, agree to use e-signatures, check the box, and click Continue.

2. To start signing the document, click  Start to the far right.

If your document requires a QES/AdES, the flow is different. Please read the section below. 

3. Review the content, then click the fields to e-sign where requested. The  Fields to fill counter at the top helps you along. Enter your signature and initials just once; they’re then used for subsequent documents.

4. Click Next to highlight the next field. Note: You cannot sign a document until all fields are filled in.

5. Once all fields are filled in, click Finish. If KBA was requested, see the section below.

Declining to e-sign the document

Don’t want to sign? Click the  three dots at the document's top right and select Decline to sign, then confirm by clicking Opt-Out of Electronic Signature. Get in touch with the firm to discuss other options.

Editing your e-signature

Once you sign and initial a document, your e-signature and initials are used in subsequent docs when you click on the required fields.

If you want to edit your initials or signature, click in the required field, make your changes, then press Insert.

Toggle on Insert everywhere if you want to update the signature or initials everywhere on the doc.

Adding a handwritten signature

Not everyone accepts typed signatures, but you can always create a handwritten one:

1. Click the My signature or Initials field.

2. Switch to the Draw tab, then sign using your finger on your mouse pad or by using your mouse.

3. Click Insert.

If you want to redo the signature, click Clear while editing and sign again.

E-signature with knowledge-based authentication (KBA)

KBA or Knowledge Based Authentication is the identity verification process that the IRS requires to electronically sign Form 8879.

If your accountant has requested KBA, fill in all signature fields as described above, then click Finish with KBA inside the document. Answer the questions to verify your identity, then click Finish. You get two attempts for KBA and need to answer at least three out of five questions correctly.

KBA is only possible with a social security number (SSN) - not ITIN (Individual Taxpayer Identification Number). ITINs are issued to an individual for taxation purposes only. ITINs are not meant to be used as identification for obtaining credit. Credit systems won’t recognize them as anything other than an incorrect SSN, so they cannot be used for KBA.

You’ll see a notification at the top of the page when the document has been successfully signed.

Some reasons why signers may not be able to complete the KBA process are (but are not limited to):

Handling SSN verification error for KBA 

If you encounter the error message: " Unfortunately, there are no questions available to verify your identity for the social security number provided," it means our KBA provider couldn't gather enough data from credit bureaus or public records to create the required set of five questions based on the provided SSN. This typically occurs when your financial activity hasn't been substantial enough in the public eye to generate the verification questionnaire.

As of now, there isn't a direct workaround for this issue. To provide a compliant e-signature remotely, you may need to follow these steps:

1. Print the required forms.
2. Sign the printed forms by hand.
3. Scan the signed forms back into the system.

This process allows you to provide your signature while adhering to the necessary compliance standards, despite the SSN verification error.

E-signature with Qualified and Advanced electronic signatures (QES/AdES)

Qualified electronic signature (QES) ensures compliance with the highest standards of electronic signatures, meeting the requirements set forth by European regulatory bodies (eIDAS). QES has the same legal value and effect as a handwritten signature.

Advanced electronic signature (AdES) functions similarly to QES and follows the same process in your client portal. However, unlike QES, AdES does not use a qualified certificate to verify the signatory's identity. As a result, AdES is generally considered to be less legally binding than QES.

If your firm enabled QES/AdES, you will be notified that the document requires a QES/AdES and you will need to verify your identity before signing.

Once you click the Sign document button:

1. Select your country from the drop-down.
2. Choose an authentication provider and follow the authentication process.

Depending on the selected provider, you might be required to use your personal identity code number, provider's website or app.

To learn more about the authentication process of the selected provider, click the link at the bottom of the Select your country and the authenticator app page.

Once the document is signed, you will see the signature stamp at its bottom:

Document is pending e-signature, but there are no signature fields

If a document is pending signature, but there are no e-signature fields, either you don’t need to sign it or you must access the same account from another linked email address (for more details, go here). 

Sometimes a preparer needs signatures from both account users (e.g., spouses) or just one. If a signature was requested from the other user, and they haven’t signed yet, you won’t see any e-signature fields on your end. The document will remain in Pending E-Signature status until the other user has signed.

If you and your spouse use the same computer to access TaxDome and save your login details, it's important to manage document signatures correctly to avoid confusion. Usually, firms add a signature space for each person and send documents accordingly. But sometimes, if one of you logs in with the other's saved login, signs the document, and saves it, the other person might not see the signature field when they log in, and that can be confusing. To resolve this, log into the correct account and sign the missing signature field. This will help keep things organized and clear for both of you.