Alternative to IRS Free File Fillable Forms

Forum|Forum|1 year ago
April 17, 2024
1 reply
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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

Employee

@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.

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akjainAuthor

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

Employee

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?