Alternative to IRS Free File Fillable Forms

[akjain]

Team,

We had been filing US Federal Returns online thru IRS Free File Fillable Forms. Every year a User/Password had to be created. This time IRS has mandated to have a US Phone Number where a Text Message can be received. Since we are currently not in US, so don't have a US Phone number and can't avail the options to  file online thru "IRS Free File Fillable Forms". In our filing, we had been submitting Form 2555 (Foreign Earned Income". Our AGI has almost always been lower than the Taxable Slab so no taxes had been due to be paid.

Q: Any suggestions what options we could have to file US Federal Returns online but free knowing that we would also be submitting Form 2555. Not sure if the same is possible with TurboTax free? Pls share which options don't enforce to file State Taxes along with, since in some cases, it comes as a package i.e. "Federal is Free but State is Paid and both have to submitted else Federal can't be submitted"?

Thanks,
Anant

[maglib]

@akjain  

They will not accept an international phone number on your return. 

Foreign Phone Numbers

• Account Creation - You cannot use a foreign phone number. Without a U.S. phone number, you may not be able to create, access or recover your account.   
• The Electronic Withdrawal of Tax Due (STEP 2, Section 5 and Form 4868, Section 3 Payment Options) will only accept a ten-digit number. If you do not have access to a U.S. phone number you should not use the application. 

In order to complete and e-file your return, you can enter the phone number of a relative or friend in the U.S you have access to , is it possible to try a "dummy number." (800-555-1212), another suggestion is to use SKYPE which may give you a US phone number.

Or your other bet is to file by mail.

[akjain]

I am not sure how Dummy Phone No ([phone number removed]) would hep since IRS is going to send "text msg" on that phone no. and I need to have a device linked to that phone no.? Regarding Skype, I suppose since I would be setting up in India, so it would get linked to India Country Code (91) and not US (01)? So, ultimately, I wouldn't get text msg?

[maglib]

IP addresses for skype can be US or you need to use someone you knows number that you can contact US number of just file by mail...there are other ways to get temporary US phone numbers. There is a huge intl tax filing scheme and the IRS is cracking down. Why is it you can not file by mail?

[akjain]

Good question that "Why is it you can not file by mail?".

Actually, over the past few years have been filing Federal Tax Return online thru Free File Fillable Forms and it has been very convenient to file even at a later date say 10th Apr i.e. still before the due date of 15th Apr.

For filing thru mail, need to dispatch atleast 2-3 weeks prior to Due Date which means need to start working on it by mid-Mar. Since this time, IRS changed the Free File Fillable Forms rqmts which I got to know on Apr 10th, so now thru mail, it would reach later than due date of 15th Apr. So trying to explore how to submit the Federal tax Return online and free?

[maglib]

Overseas has till 6/17/24 for 2023 taxes. If a taxpayer is a U.S. citizen or resident alien residing overseas or is in the military on duty outside the U.S., on the regular due date of their return, they are allowed an automatic 2-month extension to file their return without requesting an extension. The taxes owed are still due on time. https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/irs-reminder-to-us-taxpayers-living-working-abroad-file-2023-tax-return....

https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/extension-of-time-to-file-your-tax-return
And for those impacted: deadline does not apply to taxpayers who live or have a business in Israel, Gaza or the West Bank, and certain other taxpayers affected by the terrorist attacks in the State of Israel. They are granted relief until Oct. 7, 2024, to both file and pay most taxes due. For more information, check out Notice 2023-71PDF.

Taxpayers unable to file their tax returns by the June deadline can request a further extension to file, but not pay, until Oct. 15.

[maglib]

and a foreign postmark still qualifies as mailed on time.

[akjain]

I suppose with "and a foreign postmark still qualifies as mailed on time.", you meant that a foreign postmark if stamped by Apr 15th in India, would be qualified as mailed on-time even if it reaches to IRS post 15th Apr due to postal delay?

[maglib]

Yes it qualifies and again, as you are overseas you are automatically granted an extension.

[akjain]

Appreciate for your time to read and respond to my emails.