SECTION 6. PENALTIES

.01 Penalties for Disclosure or Use

of Information.

(1) An On-Line Filer, except a Software Developer, is a tax return preparer (Preparer) under the definition of § 301.7216–1(b) of the Regulations on Procedure and Administration. A Preparer is subject to a criminal penalty for disclosure or use of tax return information, as described in § 301.7216–1(a). In general, that regulation provides that any preparer who discloses or uses any tax return information for a purpose other than preparing, assisting in preparing, or obtaining or providing services in connection with the preparation of a tax return is guilty of a misdemeanor. In addition, § 6713 of the Internal Revenue Code provides for civil penalties that may be assessed against a preparer who makes an unauthorized disclosure or use of tax return information.

(2) Under § 301.7216–2(h), disclosure of tax return information among accepted On-Line Filers for the purpose of preparing a return is permissible. For example, it is permissible for an On-Line Service Provider to pass on tax return information to a Transmitter for the purpose of having an on-line electronic return formatted and trans

mitted to the Service. However, if the tax return information is disclosed or used in any other way, an On-Line Filer may be guilty of a misdemeanor as described in section 6.01(1) of this revenue procedure.

.02 Other Preparer Penalties.

(1) Preparer penalties may be asserted against an individual or firm who meets the definition of an income tax return preparer under § 7701(a)(36) and § 301.7701–15. Examples of preparer penalties that may be asserted under appropriate circumstances include, but are not limited to, those set forth in §§ 6694, 6695, and 6713.

(2) Under § 301.7701–15(d), an On-Line Filer is not an income tax return preparer for the purpose of assessing most preparer penalties as long as the On-Line Filer’s services are limited to ‘‘typing, reproduction, or other mechanical assistance in the preparation of a return or claim for refund.’’

(3) If an On-Line Filer alters the return information in a nonsubstantive way, this alteration will be considered to come under the ‘‘mechanical assistance’’ exception described in § 301.7701–15(d)(1). A nonsubstantive change is a correction or change limited to a transposition error, misplaced entry, spelling error, or arithmetic correction that falls within the following tolerances:

(a) the Total Tax amount, Withholding amount, Refund amount, or Amount Owed shown on Form 8453– OL differs from the corresponding amount on the electronic portion of the tax return by no more than $7;

(b) the Total Income amount shown on Form 8453–OL differs from the corresponding amount on the electronic portion of the tax return by no more than $25; or

(c) dropping cents and rounding to whole dollars.

(4) If an On-Line Filer alters the return information in a substantive way, rather than having the taxpayer alter the return, the On-Line Filer will be considered to be an income tax return preparer for purposes of § 7701(a)(36).

(5) If an On-Line Filer goes beyond mechanical assistance, the OnLine Filer may be held liable for income tax return preparer penalties.

Rev. Rul. 85–189, 1985–2 C.B. 341, describes a situation where a Software Developer was determined to be an income tax return preparer and subject to certain preparer penalties.

.03 In addition to the above specified provisions, the Service reserves the right to assert all appropriate preparer, nonpreparer, and disclosure penalties against an On-Line Filer as warranted under the circumstances.