E-filing from abroad

eortlund · Post by **eortlund** » Fri Mar 30, 2012 2:29 pm

So apparently we are supposed to be able to e-file now. But I had trouble doing this through Turbotax because it flagged several "mistakes" I had to fix before I could e-file. Mistakes like the lack of an official EIN on the part of my husband's Canadian employer. I didn't see a way forward so just printed and mailed as usual. Has anyone else figured out how to successfully e-file?

qweryt · Post by **qweryt** » Fri Mar 30, 2012 11:30 pm

There is a special place in TurboTax to enter foreign earned income not reported on W-2 and it doesn't require EIN for the foreign employer.

I have been e-filing for the last several years without any issues.

eortlund · Post by **eortlund** » Sat Mar 31, 2012 10:46 am

Hmmmm....that would be good, but would entering it that way generation a 2555? I don't do it that way, I take foreign tax credits.

eortlund · Post by **eortlund** » Sat Mar 31, 2012 10:50 am

generate

qweryt · Post by **qweryt** » Sat Mar 31, 2012 11:44 am

No, it would not. I use FTC as well. Income->Foreign Earned Income->Check "a statement from my employer"->Enter your foreign wages->Say "No, I do no want to use form 2555". Done

eortlund · Post by **eortlund** » Sat Mar 31, 2012 12:36 pm

I see. Thank you. I will make a note of it and try it next year.

eortlund · Post by **eortlund** » Wed Apr 04, 2012 10:49 am

I helped my friend with her taxes and tried this method here. It didn't ask for an EIN at the end, however, it wouldn't let me proceed with e-filing until I "fixed" the lack of a US address for my husband's employer. I tried to fill in a Canadian postal card and it wouldn't even enter it. ??? How can I get around that?

eortlund · Post by **eortlund** » Wed Apr 04, 2012 10:50 am

postal code

qweryt · Post by **qweryt** » Thu Apr 05, 2012 12:16 am

What form and line does it ask you to enter the US address on?

eortlund · Post by **eortlund** » Thu Apr 05, 2012 10:42 am

Well, I don't have my friend's Turbotax application in front of me. I did exactly what you said. At the end, when it was saying I needed to correct things, I saw that it had generated a W-2, and that it wanted me to fill in the employer's address on that W-2. There was no way to enter a foreign address. It wouldn't accept it at all.

nelsona · Post by **nelsona** » Thu Apr 05, 2012 4:16 pm

The situation described here is for people working for US firms, but in other countries.

You should not fake a W-2 when reporting T4 wage income. That is why the software croaks on it.

But it may prevent you from e-filing. Thems the breaks. Cdns in US can't netfile at all.

eortlund · Post by **eortlund** » Thu Apr 05, 2012 7:20 pm

thanks! Oh well.

eortlund · Post by **eortlund** » Thu Apr 05, 2012 7:24 pm

Even though I can't e-file, should I be entering our foreign income in that foreign earned income section rather than under wages and salaries?

qweryt · Post by **qweryt** » Fri Apr 06, 2012 12:14 am

Something is not right here. I have been doing exactly that for the past several years and there is no fake W-2 generated (for my foreign employer) and no issues e-filing.

Go to the forms section, delete any W-2 forms and try to enter your income again.

nelsona · Post by **nelsona** » Fri Apr 06, 2012 6:04 am

wages are entered in wages.