Form 8655 | Reporting Agent Authorization
Authorize Check to manage tax filings and deposits using IRS Form 8655 efficiently.
IRS Form 8655 is a critical third-party authorization document required by the IRS. It authorizes Check to:
- Sign and file certain returns
- Make deposits and payment for certain returns
- Receive copies of tax information, notices and other written and/or electronic communication regarding any authority granted
- Provide IRS with information to aid in penalty relief determinations related to the authority granted on a signed Form 8655
As the new payroll and tax filing reporting agent for your clients, Check will be filing and depositing payroll taxes on behalf of those clients.
Form 8655, in addition to other state and local authorization forms, is electronically generated and signed during the Company Onboarding process. Once the 8655 is completed, it can be accessed and viewed in Console on the Documents Tab where it will be listed as Federal 8655.
Troubleshooting Form 8655
It is important that the 8655 is completed accurately and signed by an authorized representative of the company. Below are the most common reasons an 8655 is rejected by the IRS.
- Invalid or Missing Taxpayer Information
- Taxpayer EIN and Name Mismatch
- Unauthorized Signature
- Incomplete Taxpayer Information
- No Last Name
- Missing Taxpayer Title
In the rare case that a Form 8655 is returned to Check for any reason, Check will notify the partner via a Zendesk ticket. It is important these tickets are treated with urgency as having a valid 8655 on file with the IRS is critical to the timely deposits and tax filings on behalf of your client.
In these cases, Form 8655 will have to be regenerated and re-signed via the Console Onboarding process by following the steps outlined below:
Steps to re-sign Form 8655
- From the Company Info Tab in Console, select Generate Onboard Link (1). Once the correct Signatory, Name (2), Signatory Title (3) and Contact Email (4) are entered and the “Generate Onboard Link” is clicked (5), a partner can email the link to the client for completion.
- The employer can begin the Onboard Process by entering the Onboard link into the address bar of a browser, checking the User Service Terms checkbox and clicking
- Using the Navigation Menu bar on the left, the employer can navigate to filing authorization, select Federal Form 8655, and press Continue
- The employer is now presented with a facsimile of the current Form 8655 on file. Using the Signatory Name, Title and EMAIL that was entered in Step One, a new Form 8655 will be generated by clicking on Regenerate Form and Sign.
- The final step is for the Client to attest to the responsibility statement then sign and submit the form. This final step will insert the authorized signature on the new Form 8655.
You can now view the updated Form 8655 in Console on the Documents Tab. When the process is complete, it’s important that you notify Check via the original ticket.
Last updated on March 31, 2022