"E-File is not available because your tax return includes forms that can't be e-filed." Using FEIE, but $1 miscellaneous income workaround doesn't work. Any suggestions?

[jmorrow338]

I receive the following error message when trying to file my 2025 federal return: E-File is not available because your tax return includes forms that can't be e-filed. It doesn't specify a form that's causing the issue. I've checked each form against the tax-form availability tool and they're all ready to e-file. My tax status is married filing jointly, and we live outside of the US. I received a (non-W2) statement from my employer for my salary and my wife is self-employed. We're taking the FEIE - all of my income was excluded along with a portion of my wife's. I see that others have had success with adding $1 to capital gains or miscellaneous income, but that hasn't worked for me.

[pk]

@jmorrow338 , trying to understand your situation -- generally, your should 1040, forms 2555, Schedule-C ( for self-employment ) possibly Schedule-SE and as long as you AGI is positive/non-zero, you should be good     to e-file.  Did you look at all the forms list ? Can you tell me  ?

You did say that you meet the Physical Presence Test --yes ?   If you used bona-fide Resident, then that needs IRS approval and therefore may require  file-by-mail.  

I will await for any info you can share --yes ?

[jmorrow338]

Hi, thanks for the response.

We have the following forms:

1040, Schedule 1, Schedule 2, Schedule B, Schedule C, Schedule D, Form 8949, Schedule SE - spouse, Form 2555 - taxpayer and spouse, Form 8606 - taxpayer, Form 8959, Form 8960, and Form 8829

I've checked them all against the forms list and they're each listed as ready to e-file. The PDF from Turbotax also includes 1040ES and 1040-V - those are listed as unsupported. Could the system be trying to include those in the return and causing an issue?

AGI on our 1040 is positive.

We are using the bona fide residence test. We were out of the US for more than 330 full days so I just re-ran the FEIE section using the physical presence test, but that doesn't resolve the issue.

[pk]

@jmorrow338 , my suspicion would be on form 1040-V ---- two  areas of suspicion ---  foreign address could create an issue  ( thought all internationally filed return are processed by one center ) and 1040-V  ( this used to go  to BofA, whom will strip the 1040-V with the check  for deposit and then forward the rest of the return to IRS for processing).  If you have US bank ( 1040-V)  why don't you use the direct debit option. 

There is nothing remarkable with the rest of the forms  you listed.

Unless you specifically need/want  "Bona-fide resident", why don't you use  Physical Presence test -- the former requires IRS approval.  Or is there a specific reason ?

Hope this solves your issue.

[jmorrow338]

@pk  The only payment options available are pay by check and request an IRS payment plan. The direct debit and credit card options both are shown as "unavailable due to your filing choices." Is there a chance I'm stuck in a loop - the electronic payment options are unavailable because I've selected file by mail, but e-filing isn't an option because I haven't selected one of the electronic payment options?

I've tried with both US and international mailing addresses.

I don't have a strong preference for either the bona-fide resident or physical presence tests - if it's easier to process then we'll use the physical presence test as long as we get the same result either way. 

[pk]

@jmorrow338 , while I have never seen this limitation, but I have always used e-file for my own and even when I was a practicing tax professional.  If you visit IRS site you will see  direct debit , Credit Card payment.  Even for Refunds IRS currently  discourages paper-check issuance.  So it makes sense that if you choose to file by mail, then direct debit makes no sense.  So , if you can choose to pay by direct debit from a US bank.

Also , while the FEIE is the same whether you choose Bona-fide Resident or Physical Presence test  form 2555, the only downstream benefit ( once IRS has approved  your Bona-fide Resident status ) is that for Physical Presence Test  you always  must meet 330 days away from the  USA during a continuous 12 month test period encompassing the  tax period for exclusion.  Most expats choose the Physical Presence Test.

Is there more I can do for you ?

[jmorrow338]

Thanks, I appreciate the guidance on which test to use. I've switched us both over to the physical presence test.

My original issue still hasn't been resolved - I'm unable to e-file and am not sure why. I've followed the guidance from @JohnB5677 in Changing from mailing in to efile after making the suggested changes - using a US mailing address, changing to the physical presence test - but nothing has changed.

[pk]

@jmorrow338 , oh dear! I am fresh out of ideas.   Since I cannot see your screen, I am going to forward this thread to  Intuit  employee experts -- they can indeed look at your  screens and suggest some remedial action.  My apologies  for not being able to resolve your issue.

pk

[MaryK4]

I would like to take a deeper look at this. However, I need a diagnostic file which is a copy of your tax return that has all of your personal information removed. You can send one to us by following the directions below:

TurboTax Online:

1. Sign into your online account.
2. Locate the Tax Tools on the left-hand side of the screen.
3. A drop-down will appear. Select Tools
4. On the pop-up screen, click on “Share my file with agent.”
5. This will generate a message that a diagnostic file gets sanitized and transmitted to us.
6. Please provide the Token Number that was generated in the response.

TurboTax Desktop/Download Versions:

1. Open your return.
2. Click the Online tab in the black bar across the top of TurboTax and select “Send Tax File to Agent” *
3. This will generate a message that a diagnostic copy will be created.  Click on OK and the tax file will be sanitized and transmitted to us.
4. Please provide the Token Number  (including the dash) that was generated in the response.

*(If using a MAC, go to the menu at the top of the screen, select Help, then, “Send Tax File to Agent”)

@jmorrow338 

[jmorrow338]

@pk No problem, I appreciate the help!

[jmorrow338]

@MaryK4 Thanks - I've transmitted the diagnostic file. My token number is 1355652.

[MaryK4]

You will have to go through the Foreign Earned Income Exclusion section again carefully and look for the entry "Enter XXX'Xs Employer Information" 

Under the checkbox for This employer has no U.S. address, Delete the entry on the U.S. Street Address, it should default back to None.  

Please try to file after you make this correction, and if it does not work, add to this post, I will keep an eye on it.

***If you have TurboTax desktop, you can make the entry in Forms mode-

Click the Forms icon in the top right corner of your screen.
In the left-hand pane (the "Forms in My Return" list), scroll down to find the specific form you need to edit (e.g., W-2, Form 1040, or your State Return).
Click on the form name to open it in the main window. Look for the field with the incorrect information:
Look for the Red/Highlighted field on your Form 2555-T.  You can remove the entry here. 

@jmorrow338 

[jmorrow338]

@MaryK4 Hi - Thanks for the suggestion. I've gone back through the Foreign Earned Income Exclusion section again. The US address for both taxpayer and spouse showed as "None" - I deleted that and submitted with blank fields but am still unable to e-file.

[MaryK4]

Thanks for the update, I will go back and check for other things now.  @jmorrow338  

[MaryK4]

Please delete the following forms:

Trump Acct Election

8815

8889-T

8889-S

After you delete, please go back and see if any automatically are added back to the return. (Log out then login and go back to Delete a Form)

From the left rail menu in TurboTax Online, select Tax Tools (You may have to scroll down on the left rail menu.)

1. On the drop-down select Tools
2. On the Pop-Up menu titled “Tools Center,” select Delete a Form 
3. This will show all of the forms in your return 
4. Scroll down to the form you want to delete 
5. Select the Form 
6. Click on Delete. 

Sorry I did not ask, are you using TurboTax Online or TurboTax Desktop/Download?  

@jmorrow338