Patent ID: 7590572

Claim:
A computer-implemented method comprising: receiving, from an independent filer, user input indicating that a prior-year dependent of the independent filer will file his or her own tax return, and in response to said user input: extracting information relevant to the dependent from a file comprising tax information for the independent filer, creating a temporary tax information file for the dependent, and canceling information, corresponding to the dependent, in the file comprising tax information for the independent filer for use when preparing a current tax return for the independent filer, wherein said canceling information is performed in response to receiving user input indicating that the dependent should be deleted from the independent filer's list of dependents for the current tax return for the independent filer; creating, using a processor, an invitation for the dependent to evaluate a tax preparation tool; sending, using the processor, the invitation for the dependent to evaluate the tax preparation tool to the dependent via electronic communication using an electronic address specified by the independent filer; receiving input from the dependent indicating that the dependent accepts the invitation to evaluate the tax preparation tool, and in response to said input: creating account information for the dependent, creating, using the processor, a new file comprising tax information for the dependent based in part on information comprised in the temporary tax information file for the dependent, associating the new file with the account information, and pre-loading, using the processor, at least a portion of the tax information comprised in the new file into the tax preparation tool; and completing, using the processor, the current tax return for the independent filer.