Here’s the question we hear most from businesses preparing for the FIRE shutdown: “Do we have to rebuild our entire filing workflow?” The answer – at least with BoomTax – is no.
Your ERP spits out a FIRE-format flat file every January. Your payroll system exports fixed-width text files. Your custom scripts produce the same format they’ve produced for years. When FIRE goes dark on December 31, 2026, those files don’t become useless. You just need a service that speaks both languages – and BoomTax does.
The Problem: IRIS Doesn’t Accept FIRE Files
The IRS’s new IRIS (Information Returns Intake System) uses a completely different data format. Where FIRE accepted fixed-width text files with rigid column positions, IRIS requires structured XML documents that follow the IRS’s schema specifications.
That’s a fundamental format change. You can’t simply upload a FIRE file to IRIS – it will be rejected. For businesses that have built years of tooling around FIRE’s flat-file format, this creates a real dilemma:
- Rewrite export scripts and ERP integrations to produce XML
- Hire developers to build an IRIS-compatible output pipeline
- Buy new software that generates the right format
- Or… let someone else handle the conversion entirely
The BoomTax Approach: Change Nothing
BoomTax has always accepted multiple data formats – manual entry, CSV uploads, API submissions, and yes, FIRE-format flat files. When you upload a FIRE-format file to BoomTax, here’s what happens:
- You upload your flat file – the same file your systems have always generated.
- BoomTax parses it – we read the fixed-width records, validate the data, and flag any issues.
- We convert to IRIS XML – our system transforms your data into the exact XML schema the IRS requires.
- We submit to IRIS – using our own TCC, through the IRIS API. You don’t need your own TCC.
- You get status updates – accepted, rejected (with details), or pending. All visible in your dashboard.
Your team doesn’t learn a new format. Your ERP doesn’t get reconfigured. Your scripts don’t get rewritten. You keep your FIRE files. We handle the rest.
Who Benefits Most From This?
This approach is especially valuable for organizations that have deep FIRE integration baked into their operations:
Enterprise IT Teams
If your ERP, payroll, or accounting system exports FIRE-format files, updating that export is a development project – complete with requirements, testing, deployment, and risk. With BoomTax, you skip all of that. Keep your existing export. Upload to BoomTax instead of FIRE. Done.
CPAs and Accounting Firms
Many firms have standardized on FIRE-format file generation across multiple clients. Rebuilding that for IRIS means touching every client’s workflow. Instead, upload those same files to BoomTax and let the conversion happen automatically.
Payroll Companies
Payroll providers generating 1099s and W-2s in bulk have finely tuned FIRE-format pipelines. Any change introduces risk during the most critical time of year. BoomTax eliminates that risk by accepting the files as-is.
Banks and Financial Institutions
High-volume 1099-INT and 1099-DIV filers with established batch processes don’t want to retrofit their mainframe outputs. BoomTax’s FIRE-format support means their existing batch files work without modification.
But What About the Data Validation?
One concern we hear: “If BoomTax is converting my file, how do I know the data is right?” Great question. Here’s how we handle it:
- Pre-submission validation: Before anything goes to the IRS, BoomTax validates every record against current IRS rules – TIN format, amount thresholds, required fields, state filing eligibility.
- Error reporting: If your flat file has issues, we tell you exactly which records have problems and why – before submission, not after.
- Review dashboard: You can see every parsed record in your BoomTax account, review the data, and make corrections before filing.
- Post-filing tracking: After submission to IRIS, we report back the IRS’s acceptance or rejection status for every return.
In many cases, BoomTax’s validation catches errors that FIRE would have silently accepted – giving you better data quality than direct FIRE uploads.
How It Works: Step by Step
Ready to try it? Here’s the entire process:
- Create a free BoomTax account at boomtax.com. No credit card required.
- Navigate to the upload page and select “FIRE Format File” as your import type.
- Upload your flat file – the same one you’d upload to the FIRE system.
- Review the parsed data in your dashboard. Fix any validation warnings.
- Submit for e-filing. BoomTax converts to XML and files through IRIS automatically.
- Track your filing status as the IRS processes your returns.
Most businesses complete their first upload in under 15 minutes. If you’ve filed through FIRE before, you already know the hardest part – generating the file. BoomTax handles everything after that.
Frequently Asked Questions
What FIRE file formats does BoomTax accept?
BoomTax accepts standard IRS Publication 1220 formatted files – the same fixed-width text files you’d upload to the FIRE system. This includes files with T (Transmitter), A (Payer), B (Payee), C (End of Payer), K (State Totals), and F (End of Transmission) records.
Do I need my own IRIS TCC?
No. BoomTax files on your behalf using our TCC. You don’t need to apply for or maintain an IRIS Transmitter Control Code. This alone saves weeks of lead time.
Can I still use the BoomTax API instead of file uploads?
Absolutely. BoomTax offers a full REST API for 1099 and W-2 filing. The FIRE-format upload is one of several input methods – use whichever fits your workflow best.
What about state filing?
BoomTax handles state filing too – including states in the Combined Federal/State Filing Program and states that require direct submission. State filing works the same regardless of how you import your data.
Is there a volume limit?
No. BoomTax handles everything from a handful of forms to hundreds of thousands. Our system is built for bulk filing, and FIRE-format uploads are processed at the same speed as any other import method.
The Easiest IRIS Migration Is No Migration at All
The FIRE-to-IRIS transition doesn’t have to mean months of development work, new integrations, and IT projects. For businesses that use BoomTax, it means changing one thing: where you upload your file. Instead of the FIRE website, you upload to BoomTax. Everything else – your data, your format, your timeline – stays the same.
FIRE goes dark in December. Your filing workflow doesn’t have to.
Get started with BoomTax for free – upload a test file today and see how simple the transition can be.
BoomTax, The Boom Post, and its affiliates do not provide tax, legal or accounting advice. This material has been prepared for informational purposes only, and is not intended to provide, and should not be relied on for, tax, legal or accounting advice. You should consult your own tax, legal and accounting advisors prior to engaging in any transaction.
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