FIB news.

E-signatures Accepted Through Dec. 31

The FTB recently updated its COVID-19 FAQ webpage (ftb.ca.gov/about-ftb/newsroom/COVID-19/help-with-COVID-19.html) to state that for paper returns and other documents that must be signed with an original signature by a taxpayer or tax representative, it will not require an original signature through Dec. 31, except for Power of Attorney (POA) forms. POA forms will still require an original signature, Follow the instructions online (ftb.ca.gov/tax-pros/power-of-attomey/submit-a-power-of-attorney.html) if you need to submit a POA.

2021 Filing Season Update

Now that the initial filing deadline has passed, the FTB has provided an update on some key statistics for the first -part of the 2021 filing season, Both the IRS and FTB had an extended filing season this year with the initial due date for returns and payments postponed to May 17.

While the processing and validation of all returns and payments continues, as of mid-June 2021, the year-to-date filing season highlights are as follows:

* Personal Income Tax (PIT) returns filed totaled 17.8 million, with 16.5 million e-filed (93 percent).

* The volume of PIT refunds issued totaled $13.0 million, with an average refund of $1,031.

* Total PIT and BE payments processed totaled

$56.2 billion, with 56 percent of payments being made electronically.

* Level of access in the FTB Contact Center was

59 percent for the week of the May 17 due date, and is at 58 percent for the year, serving more than 660,000 customers.

* Not surprisingly, the two most visited webpages were the Golden State Stimulus and Check Your Refund, with more than 8.2 million visits combined.

giving back

CALCPA 2021 SERVICE AWARDS

Congratulations to the following members who were named winners of our service awards:

Outstanding Accounting Educator Award

Ming-Chun Lu, CPA, (Los Angeles Chapter) Santa Monica College

Public Service Awards

Gina A. Ballard, CPA, (Los Angeles Chapter) Holthouse Carlin & Van Trigt LLP

Leonard C. Wright, CPA, (OC/LB Chapter) Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co,

Distinguished Service Award

Marc G. Parkinson, CPA, (Silicon Valley/San Jose Chapter) Petrinovich Pugh & Co. LLP; 2002-03 CalCPA Education Foundation President; 2006-07 CalCPA Chair

ANN...