Question

Form 8949 - Multiple PDF Attachments Required

Accepted Answer

It is possible to attach multiple PDF files to represent summary totals for Form 8949 Sales and Other Dispositions of Capital Assets. In a situation where a single PDF file would be quite large in size, it may even be necessary to attach multiple PDF files as there is a size limitation of 3 MB for attachments in the TaxAct Online program (2 MB for the Desktop program).

To understand better how PDF attachments are supported for Form 8949, follow the steps below to view the form. Multiple copies of this summary form can be created in the return, then one PDF attachment is used to represent the information contained in each summary form. Each form can represent up to six worksheets in the return (one worksheet for each of the six different reporting categories on the form); however, there would still be only one PDF to represent each Form 8949 Attachment Information Summary form created. If multiple forms would represent the same brokerage, you would need to somehow differentiate the brokerage name entry for each form (i.e. TD Ameritrade 1, TD Ameritrade 2, TD Ameritrade 3, etc.).

To view the Form 8949 Attachment Information Summary form:

Online Navigation Instructions

From within your TaxAct Online return, click Print Center down the left to expand, then click Custom Print.
Click Federal Form 8949 Attachment. You may need to scroll down in the section to locate the item.
Click Print, then click the PDF link. Click the printer icon or the save icon (available when you hover your mouse over the PDF form) to print or save the PDF copy.

Note. If you see a message indicating you have not paid your return fees, click the View/Pay your return fees link, which will direct you through the Paper Filing steps. Continue through the screens until you have processed the payment for your product fees and then repeat the steps to print.

Desktop Navigation Instructions

Start your TaxAct Desktop program
Click Return from the drop-down at the top of your screen, hover your mouse over Review, then click Forms OR click Forms in the toolbar below the menu.
Click to expand the Federal folder, then click to expand the Forms and Schedules folder.
Scroll down (almost to the bottom of the Forms list), click to expand Form 8949 Attachment - Form 8949 Attachment Summary, then double-click the form listed. If a form is not already listed for you to review, double-click Add Copy to complete a new form.

To enter the information for each Form 8949 Attachment Information Summary form (each form created would then be represented by a PDF which would be attached to the return in the filing steps):

From within your TaxAct return (Online or Desktop), click Federal. On smaller devices, click in the upper left-hand corner, then click Federal.
Click Investment Income in the Federal Quick Q&A Topics menu to expand, click Gain or loss on the sale of investments to expand, then click Enter totals from a statement of transactions you will attach to your return.
Click + Add a New Provider to create a new copy of the form or click Edit to review a form already created.
On the screen titled Lets go through your 1099-B providers one at a time enter the Name of brokerage firm (e.g. TD Ameritrade, E*Trade) or software vendor (e.g. GainsKeeper, TradeLog, Form8949.com) who supplied you with the attachment, then click Continue.
On the screen titled Enter the details of these totals one term and type at a time enter the appropriate information.

Note. If you have more than six brokerage statements, you would want to enter the six containing the most transactions by this method and then enter the transactions on the other statements via another method.

Note that any link in the information above is updated each year automatically and will take you to the most recent version of the document at the time it is accessed.