Managing Acknowledgements (Acks)

When the IRS receives an e-file, it acknowledges receipt of the e-file by sending an acknowledgement, or Ack, to the EFC, which processes the Acks and makes them available in the program.

Each time you transmit a return or request acknowledgements, the program automatically updates the status for all your e-filed returns. If the IRS rejects one of your returns, review and correct the errors, re-create the e-file, and then transmit the return again.

After you transmit the e-file, you should make it a best practice to Receive Acknowledgements periodically until you get a positive acknowledgement that the return is accepted. If you don't periodically receive Acks, you may miss an important acknowledgement that requires a swift response (e.g. a reject). For information on any known delays in Acks, check the ATX Blog.

Ack Timeliness

Payroll tracks all e-files transmitted to the various IRS service centers. We ensure you receive Acks from these agencies in a timely manner. IRS acknowledgements generally take 10 days from the time of transmission.

If returns are pending for more than 10 days, we'll contact the appropriate IRS service center directly to quickly resolve any issues that may be causing a delay and will tell you when to expect acknowledgements.

If significant processing delays are encountered by the IRS, information will be posted to the ATX Blog.