How do I fill in the Form 1040 on turbotax if I only earned a foreign income?

[northkoller]

I have completed the Foreign Earned Income Exemption, but when I Review, it says my 1040 is empty. I believe I need to fill in the 1040 with the income reported on my FEIE as well, but am not sure how to do this on turbotax.

[Critter · Accepted solution]

It is not "empty" however to efile a return it must have some TAXABLE income on it and if you excluded all of it then your taxable income is zero.   You have 2 choices ...  mail in the return  OR   enter in $1 of interest income so it can be efiled ( this is the accepted work around for this IRS limitation). 

[Carl]

If you do not have a W-2, then you must work through the W-2 section, select the box for "I don't have any W-2's" and then FINISH working through the W-2 section.

Until you do that, it's not possible to e-file.

[northkoller]

I don't want to efile actually as I need to type in NRA for my spouse and children for their SSNs.  But also, when I click "I don't have W-2s" it doesn't advance me to any questions of income, and only shows me the amount I claimed on my FEIE.

I'm curious if I finish the process, if I can simply write in my income on the empty 1040?

[northkoller]

Oh I see.  I went to the last step and downloaded my return.  The 1040 did generate my income from my FEIE.  I was also able to digitally write in NRA for the SSNs. 

Looks pretty straightforward.  The FEIE process with turbotax seems to have made the Form 2555 easy enough.  No FBARs either as I don't have control of a bank account with greater than 10,000.  And no investments in my name.