Computer-implemented methods systems and articles of manufacture for validating electronic tax return data

Abstract

An intermediate computer receives or accesses current year electronic payroll data of employees including a taxpayer and a prior year electronic tax return of the taxpayer. During preparation of an electronic tax return utilizing a tax return preparation application, the intermediate computer receives an image of a current year electronic tax document from a taxpayer computing device, processes the image to transform the image into current year electronic tax data and executes specific rules to validate the current year electronic tax data for entry into the electronic tax return based at least in part upon certain current year electronic tax return data derived from the image, the data of the prior year electronic tax return and data of the current year electronic payroll data. A discrepancy within these different data sources may indicate a life event, and screens and questions regarding a life event are presented to the taxpayer.