How to Add a Third Party Designee in TurboTax Desktop (2025)
A Third Party Designee is someone you authorize to discuss your federal tax return with the IRS on your behalf. This is especially useful if you’re filing for an elderly parent, a family member in memory care, or anyone else who may not be able to call the IRS themselves. The designee can answer IRS questions and provide information about that specific return without needing full Power of Attorney verification each time.
Updated April 2026 with TurboTax 2025 Desktop (Home & Business) screenshots. The workflow is unchanged from prior years.
There is no interview or step-by-step path for adding a Third Party Designee in TurboTax. You have to do it through Forms Mode. Here are the steps:
- Click the Forms icon in the upper-right corner of TurboTax (Desktop edition).
- Select Info Wks from the forms list on the left panel.
- Scroll down to Part VI (“Additional Information for Your Federal Return”), about three-quarters of the way down the worksheet.
- Click the Yes radio button next to “Do you want to allow another person to discuss this return with the IRS?”, then fill in the designee’s name, phone number, and a 5-digit PIN.
The PIN is self-selected. Just pick any five digits, but make note of them in case you need to contact the IRS about this return later.
Troubleshooting Tips
- Radio button not responding? Some users report needing to click the small radio button circle itself, not the text label next to it.
- Fields on the 1040 are read-only. The designee fields on the actual Form 1040 or 1040-SR cannot be edited directly. You must enter the information on the Info Wks, and TurboTax will populate the 1040 automatically.
- No step-by-step interview. TurboTax does not include the Third Party Designee in its guided interview. Forms Mode is the only way to access it.
- E-filing works. You can e-file with a Third Party Designee on the Desktop edition without any issues.
A Third Party Designee authorization applies only to the specific return it’s listed on and expires automatically when that return’s filing deadline passes (including extensions). It is not a substitute for a full Power of Attorney (Form 2848). For guidance on your specific tax situation, always consult a qualified tax professional or refer to the official IRS Form 1040 instructions.
I hope this helps. If you have questions, feel free to leave a comment below.
- https://www.jdhodges.com/blog/how-to-add-third-party-designee-in-turbotax-solved-desktop-version/ (4)
can I change it & designate my account attorney after I already finished & printed off the return & selected no? or is it too late
Hey Marissa, great question. If you’ve already printed the return and selected ‘No’ for the third-party designee, you can still go back into Forms Mode in the desktop version and change it to ‘Yes’ before you file. Just follow the same steps in the post (Forms > Info Wks > Part VI), update the designee info, and make sure to reprint the signature pages. As long as you haven’t e-filed yet you should be fine.
Finally a straight forward answer. I struggle with this every year and you would think I could remember it. I don’t want to change it on the forms, if possible but in the step by step questions. Thank you, thank you , thank you. You are a lifesaver.
My pleasure, Diane.
YES, I wish that TurboTax made it possible to do it in the step-by-step (but at least the workaround is pretty easy.)
Thanks for commenting and good luck with your taxes!
-J.D.