I'm going to recommend here that everyone go onto the EFTPS website and submit FEEDBACK (I had to actually take the survey as the FEEDBACK tab didn't work for me) to get them to post this on the site.  It has been a real problem that we get the notice from Intuit stating that the password has expired and has to be changed, then you go to EFTPS and the password works and it doesn't tell you that it has to be changed every 13 months.  Or that it must be exactly 12 digits long!

In addition, maybe we can submit feedback to Intuit, asking them to put this info into the Desktop product notes and the password expiration email they send us!

Here is the note I sent - please, please, please, everyone send one as well.  Maybe we can get the site updated!

It is a continuing issue and something REALLY needs to be posted on the EFTPS website to tell people the process. When using a 3rd party program which stores the password, it is required to change the password every 13 months on the EFTPS website AND in the 3rd party program (mostly Intuit QuickBooks, in my experience). The password MUST be exactly 12 characters long. The payments made within the product will FAIL if this is not done. BUT there is NO NOTICE of this anywhere on the EFTPS site. So employers whose payments fail will log in to the website and think the password still works and try again and have thousands of dollars in penalties. PLEASE add a notice to the site!

My experience until the last month was the "e-payments" tab would crash if I tried to access it.

I disagree.  I've changed my password on EFTPS, sent a small payment.  Changed the password in QBDT  and sent a FTD which rejected.  In addition, the e-payments tab which lists the payments and status would crash the program when attempting to access, emails notifying rejection weren't always received, etc.

In other words, this issue is still unresolved and leaving us with a mess to clean-up and very angry clients.  

Hi there, dso0216.

I can see that there's a similar question asked in a separate post. Let me route you to it so you can follow the steps in the response: https://quickbooks.intuit.com/learn-support/en-us/taxes/re-941-e-payment-rejected-eftps-password-exp....

The Community is always here if you need anything else. 

Was the password EXACTLY 12 characters. That has been the fix for me and others that have had this problem.

This link does not work.....

Thanks for letting us know, CheChe.

When I checked the link provided by my colleague above, I discovered that it had an extra period. As a result, when you try to access it, you get the message "Page not found."

To view a similar post, please use this link instead: https://quickbooks.intuit.com/learn-support/en-us/taxes/941-e-payment-rejected-eftps-password-expire...

Also, I appreciate the information you've shared about creating a password with exactly 12 characters to fix the issue with the e-payments.

Please post again if you need anything else in QuickBooks. We're happy to assist you.

I have a concern about this.  That it happens at all and that the alarms that our payments have been rejected are so easily missed.  This should result in a big red warning as soon as it is known that our payment was rejected and one that does not go away until the problem has been fixed.  My information still works of the EFTPS website but Quickbooks Desktop lost it this year and last year.  In 2021 I was penalized over $2000 before I realized my payments were being rejected and now in December of 2022 it has happened again.  Your notes always place the blame on us for not updating our passwords with the Tresury, but in both years the problem was my loging information was lost by the quickbook software.  This pisses me off, given your software is not cheap and it is causing me to loose more money in 10%+ penalities.

Wow, I cant believe it has been 3 years and this is still an issue. I'm changing my business process to print and mail all things federal so I never have to read through this thread again.

Why in the world would you think that the IRS would change the policy back?  No need to read through the thread again.  Simply set a reminder to change your password every year.  The requirement is every 13 months, but if you just set a reminder to change it every February 1st, you will never have to look it up again.  Change it on the EFTPS website.  Make it exactly 12 characters long.  Then change it in QB Desktop.  Done. Lather, rinse, repeat. EVERY YEAR.

If it's a federal requirement why am I still able to login to the EFTPS web site using my old 12 digit password?

Hi there, happnatious11.

It's possible that your 12-digit password hasn't reached the time frame to be expired, which is after 13 months from the time it was changed.

If you want to update your EFTPS password, you can check this reference: Update your EFTPS internet password.

Let me know whenever you have concerns about updating your password.

@happnatious11  The requirement is related to the use of third-party payment processors.  The government decided (in their infinite wisdom), that anyone using a third-party payment processor which stores the password (as QuickBooks desktop does), would be forced to change their password every 13 months.  If you aren't using a processor that stores the password, you aren't required to change your password EVER.  

Yes, and it has cost me thousands (i.e. 10s of thousands $) in penalties and interest.  I cannot hate QBDesktop Payroll any more than I do right now.  

AND, extra special, the pw "fails" randomly without any notification.

@leeseinmt  It isn’t random. It is every 13 months and has been for years. 

Not mine.  It happened 8 months ago, and happened again 6 weeks ago.  Ergo, decidedly NOT a 13-month interval. Hence my comment that it isn't a logical timeline like every 90 days etc.  Your mileage may differ.

@leeseinmt  Is it happening to you with more frequency in the same company file?  I do get it at random times for clients that I have not put on the same schedule yet.  I'm trying to get everyone to change in October when I have time to deal with it.  I have a reminder in my calendar and on the QB reminder screen to change it once a year and I notify clients that it is time to change the password and that they should confirm when they have done it.  In addition, the system will warn you that the payment has been rejected.  It is supposed to send an email, but IME clients ignore the email, so if I'm not the primary email recipient, then it gets overlooked.  I got burned twice before learning my lesson.  Fortunately, one of the partners was receiving the rejection emails and ignoring them, so I didn't have to bear the financial burden.  After that, I changed the email to mine and I check it after paying the taxes to ensure they are accepted. 

I only have one client (with 2 companies) that uses QBD Payroll, thank gawd.  The 2 companies both failed at the same time in 2022.  And since then each company has failed, but at different times.  I'm the only one with access, so client\my team isn't changing the pw.  

YES!!  Like a bad dream I saw a rejected deposit again.  Hadn't seen one since March 2022.  I run payroll for 1/2 dz clients.  Payments were rejected randomly 2021-2022.  I was changing passwords, making payments through the EFTPS website, having financial losses in terms of clients penalties, and most important my time and loss of integrity.  I attempted to put all clients on the same schedule for changing the password but that didn't seem to help.  This client had the password changed in March 2022.  A deposit rejected early July 2023.  I went to the EFTPS website and made the payment manually.   I did not change the password, tried sending through QBDT to see what would happen the next pay and it DID NOT reject.  I don't know if this is an internal issue but no matter Intuit has never accepted responsibility.

One thing has changed, the E-Payments tab in the payroll center does not crash when I access it.   I try to monitor that since the payments should either post or reject within a few hours.  I can't afford to lose any more $$ or time on this issue.  BTW, I get way too many emails for that form of notification to be effective.

Hi there, leeseinmt.

Can you tell us more details about your concern? Are you getting an error when changing the password for EFPTS? 

We're asking these questions to make sure that we give you the right information and steps to sort this out. 

Please reply back to us to share more details. We look forward to it. 

NO.  The issue is that periodically the transmittal of EFTPS e=payments simply fails.  I don't have the time to log the intervals to determine the pattern of fails.

Yes, yes, and yes.

I can't wait until this client sells his business so I never have to deal with QBD Payroll again.  Hello, 1985.  hahaha

Since I posted the original question (how many years ago?), I see that the issue continues to crop up, and just making certain that the EFTPS password is updated every 13 months proves not to be the answer on a consistent basis. Also since that time, I made the decision to stop processing payroll, and particularly through QB. I have transitioned my payroll clients to third party providers who do a much better job of it and accept responsibility for the payment of taxes and proper processing of payroll returns.

I will also add that I have been extremely displeased with the ProAdvisor program and the changes in pricing and licensing for QB Desktop products. Intuit seems to have made a corporate decision that they do not want to support small businesses any longer and instead are going for the "big bucks."  This also seems to be true for their ProSeries tax preparation software. The prices have gone thru the roof and support services down to the sub-basement. I've found another product that offers much more for a better price and will be use that for tax prep in the future.

In terms of QB, I can't wait until my last few QB clients are willing to give it up and move to something else, and I cannot in all good conscience recommend it to new clients any longer.

Good luck everyone!

Hello there, @leeseinmt.

I'd love to promptly get you through the issue you've been encountering, however, I will be needing more information about this matter. Did you happen to receive any error messages when the EFTPS e-payment fails? Failed payment can occur due to various reasons so by doing this, we will be able to see this situation from your perspective and be able to provide you with an appropriate solution. Any further details will be much appreciated. A screenshot will also do, just make sure to filter any confidential information.

While waiting for your reply, I'd like to share this helpful article to help you find out why your e-filed tax forms or e-paid tax payments were rejected and how to fix them: Handle payroll e-file and e-pay rejections.

I'll be keeping an eye out for your reply and as always, I'm willing to give out some more information if you have more questions. You can tag me in this thread and I'll get back to you the soonest