conflicting demands: NY efile vs mailing

[Aminy]

I'm forced to print and mail my NY tax forms  (since I'm 100% out of state and can't efile with 0 state income)

All my forms were generated in Turbotax  BUT   New York state says you can't mail a form prepped by a computer.

Do I need to download each form and write in the values by hand?  (I notice the barcodes on the TT version and state download version are different)  Is there some other form that I should include in my (handwritten?) return other than those made for efile by TT?

[Mike9241]

I don't know NY law, so why do you think you need to file? you might want to check the NY instructions to see if a non-resident with 0 state income even needs to file. Most states have a filing threshold even for nonresidents.   I do know NY allows mailing when you can't e-file. 

[ee-ea]

See NY rules here  https://www.tax.ny.gov/tp/efile/mandate_participants.htm

[Mike9241]

@ee-ea 

That's a tax-return preparer  e-file mandate. I guessing the taxpayer is not a tax preparer. Turbotax is not a tax return preparer. 

[Aminy]

Yes, I'm just average Joe citizen trying to follow the law and send in my taxes.... which is not easy.

[VolvoGirl]

Don't worry.  You can mail the Turbo Tax NY return.  Did you efile federal?  You can only efile state if federal was efiled and accepted.  Maybe you could add $1 of interest to NY to let you efile.  That works for federal.  

[rjs]

New York says you are required to e-file your NY return IF "your software supports the electronic filing of your return." Since TurboTax is not allowing you to e-file the return, you can file it by mail.

See the New York rules for taxpayers at the following link on the NY Department of Taxation and Finance web site.

E-file requirement for individual taxpayers

[Aminy]

Okay - so seems I'm justified in mailing.

Do I need to get the forms directly from NY (they're identical, but barcodes at bottom look different than those from TT).

[rjs]

No, just print and mail the forms from TurboTax. Don't forget to sign the return. The signature space is at the bottom of page 4.