Sign Your Tax Return

You must sign your tax return in the space provided on Form 540, Side 6. If you file a joint tax return, your spouse/RDP must also sign it.

Include your preferred phone number and email address in case the FTB needs to contact you regarding your tax return. By providing this information, the FTB will be able to provide you better customer service.

Joint Tax Return – If you file a joint tax return, both you and your spouse/RDP are generally responsible for the tax and any interest or penalties due on the tax return. This means that if one spouse/RDP does not pay the tax due, the other may be liable. See “Innocent Joint Filer Relief” under Additional Information section for more information.

Paid Preparer’s Information – If you pay a person to prepare your Form 540, that person must sign and complete the applicable paid preparer information on Side 6 including an identification number. The IRS requires a paid tax preparer to get and use a preparer tax identification number (PTIN). If the preparer has a federal employer identification number (FEIN), it should be entered only in the space provided. A paid preparer must give you a copy of your tax return to keep for your records.

Third Party Designee – If you want to allow your preparer, a friend, family member, or any other person you choose to discuss your 2024 tax return with the FTB, check the “Yes” box in the signature area of your tax return. Also, print the designee’s name and telephone number.

If you check the “Yes” box, you, and your spouse/RDP, if filing a joint tax return, are authorizing the FTB to call the designee to answer any questions that may arise during the processing of your tax return. You are also authorizing the designee to:

Give the FTB any information that is missing from your tax return.

Call the FTB for information about the processing of your tax return or the status of your refund or payments.

Receive copies of notices or transcripts related to your tax return, upon request.

Respond to certain FTB notices about math errors, offsets, and tax return preparation.

You are not authorizing the designee to receive any refund check, bind you to anything (including any additional tax liability), or otherwise represent you before the FTB. If you want to expand or change the designee’s authorization, go to ftb.ca.gov/poa .

The authorization will automatically end no later than the due date (without regard to extensions) for filing your 2025 tax return. This is April 15, 2026, for most people. If you wish to revoke the authorization before it ends, notify us by telephone at 800-852-5711 or by writing to Franchise Tax Board, PO Box 942840, Sacramento, CA 94240-0040. Include your name, SSN (or ITIN), and the designee’s name.

Power of Attorney – If another person prepared your tax return, he or she is not automatically granted access to your tax information in future dealings with us. At some point, you may wish to designate someone to act on your behalf in matters related or unrelated to this tax return (e.g., an audit examination). To protect your privacy, you must submit to us a legal document called a “Power of Attorney” (POA) authorizing another person to discuss or receive personal information about your income tax records.

For more information, go to ftb.ca.gov/poa .