# E-filing from foreign addresses for Americans



## Bevdeforges

The Paris consulate has yet to update its list of e-filing possibilities for US taxpayers with foreign addresses, so I went over to the IRS site and checked out the situation.

As last year, there are a total of 8 companies in the Free File program that state that they can handle US taxpayers with foreign addresses. Your AGI must be less than $57,000 to be eligible for Free File, and there are other restrictions depending on the provider:


1040Now.net
TaxAct Free File
File Your Taxes.com
Tax Slayer
1040.com
eSmart tax
Online Taxes at OLT.com
Turbo Tax

More information here: Free File: Do Your Federal Taxes for Free

I also note that the Free File Fillable Forms no longer list a restriction on foreign addresses - at least not on the first page of their site, anyhow.
Access Free File Fillable Forms Here

They also note the following limitation on Free File Fillable Forms:


> International (Foreign) Filers: Taxpayers who need to file a Foreign Employer Compensation Record (FEC) will not be able to e-file their return using Fillable Forms.
> Additionally, taxpayers with foreign addresses who have a spouse or dependent without a SSN or an ITIN may not be able to e-file using Fillable Forms, if the spouse or child needs to be identified on the return.


Obviously, if you do e-file from overseas, we'd be happy to hear how it went, any difficulties you encountered or any recommendations for the rest of us still getting ready to file for 2012.
Cheers,
Bev


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## makaloco

Bevdeforges said:


> I also note that the Free File Fillable Forms no longer list a restriction on foreign addresses - at least not on the first page of their site, anyhow.


Yes, well, I tried the Free File Fillable Forms about ten days ago and once again ended up filing my return by snail mail. My return is very basic: a 1040 and two 1099Rs. I got everything filled out (1099s are a PITA), checked for errors, clicked on the submit button or whatever it was called … and kept getting:
"The e-filing system is having trouble processing this return. Please try again later. - 601ERRV:17, CustHdr_11 - ?:? - Invalid Zip Code"
After checking and re-checking all the ZIP and postal codes, I tried again several times and always got the same error. Then I thought it might have to do with mapping postal codes to countries (instructions for the 1040 are contradictory about using full names vs. two-letter codes), so I tried both MX and Mexico. Same error both ways. I emailed the help desk, whose response a few days later wanted to know my OS and browser versions but didn't address the ZIP code issue. By then I'd given up and sent my return by post.

Grrrrrr. Bloody waste of time.


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## Bevdeforges

Have been checking out that FEC report stuff and evidently it's some mechanism in the IRS e-filing program that requires that you set up a sort of pseudo-W-2 in order to report salary income from a foreign employer. So apparently, no one with a non-US employer can use Fillable forms to e-file, either.

Honestly, it's easier to fill the forms out yourself, and stick a stamp on the envelope to send them in in paper format.

But I'm going to play around with the other Free File sites to see what's possible.
Cheers,
Bev


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## Bevdeforges

One other quick idea. If you decide to fill out the blasted forms yourself, use the pdf forms you download from the IRS website. Most of those can be filled in on your computer and printed out to be mailed in. 

The pdf forms do none of the arithmetic for you, but I get some small satisfaction in the fact that the print used to enter the numbers on the forms is really tiny - so someone in the office will have to do a certain amount of squinting to enter your information into the computer. (Yeah, I know, they probably scan them and the tiny print is specially designed to allow this - but a girl can dream, can't she?)
Cheers,
Bev


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## av11127

makaloco said:


> Yes, well, I tried the Free File Fillable Forms about ten days ago and once again ended up filing my return by snail mail. My return is very basic: a 1040 and two 1099Rs. I got everything filled out (1099s are a PITA), checked for errors, clicked on the submit button or whatever it was called … and kept getting:
> "The e-filing system is having trouble processing this return. Please try again later. - 601ERRV:17, CustHdr_11 - ?:? - Invalid Zip Code"
> After checking and re-checking all the ZIP and postal codes, I tried again several times and always got the same error. Then I thought it might have to do with mapping postal codes to countries (instructions for the 1040 are contradictory about using full names vs. two-letter codes), so I tried both MX and Mexico. Same error both ways. I emailed the help desk, whose response a few days later wanted to know my OS and browser versions but didn't address the ZIP code issue. By then I'd given up and sent my return by post.
> 
> Grrrrrr. Bloody waste of time.


I had the same problem. I tried the same thing you did, changing the country code. Nothing. 
What I did in the end was put my PObox number (which is 5-digits long) in the Zip Code box,(yes, the zip code for the US!) and it went through.
I willfind out if it was accepted in a couple of days and post back.
Perhaps just writing 12345 will do the trick until they realize that they need to accept an empty box for zipcode if a foreign country has been selected...


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## Bevdeforges

Talked to a tax preparer friend of mine, and she says that it's the 1099-R that messes up the works. Something about how the 1099-R is checked within the system and apparently there does have to be a match-up of the address on the 1099 and the address on the return. The IRS mechanism for cross-matching the address on the 1099-R apparently doesn't take foreign addresses (yet).

According to her, the other sorts of 1099's aren't matched up within the system so don't cause any problem.

It's always something, ain't it?
Cheers,
Bev


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## makaloco

Bev: Aha! The address on my 1099-Rs is the same foreign address as on my 1040. Silly me.

av11127: Good to know I'm not alone. The instructions said to leave US state and ZIP code fields blank if using a foreign address, so that's what I did. I don't have a PO box, but maybe 12345 would have worked. By that time I was so frustrated and cranky that I just printed out the forms and mailed them.

Thanks to both of you!


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## Bevdeforges

Latest update on my attempt to "test" the various e-filing sites that claim to be able to handle filings from foreign addresses.

TurboTax - definitely does NOT like having you enter 000-00-0000 for your NRA spouse's social security number, but have not yet gotten far enough to find out if that will cause it (or the IRS) to reject the e-filing.

The killer I found today is that, when you get to the end of the process and you ask the system to print out your forms for you, they state that you must "register" (even though you don't have to pay anything). But the page where you register states pretty plainly that "You must have a US address in order to register." 

ARRRGGGHHH - so what's the point of saying that TurboTax can take foreign addresses, if it won't let you print out your forms??? Am thinking of entering a nonsense or random address to see if it will let me at least print out a copy of my forms.

OTOH - TurboTax does allow you to prepare your FBAR forms and you can print them out to mail in without this registration nonsense. It also allows you to print out the FBAR forms, using the "modified reporting" instruction (i.e. if you have signature authority over your employer's bank account, you only have to fill in the information regarding your employer, not the account numbers and high balance).
Cheers,
Bev


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## Bevdeforges

*Latest update - and some good news for a change!*

Finally got a chance to play around with the free file sites a bit.

TurboTax looks like a no go for those of us married to NRA's. You can't put "N/A" into the SS number box, and if you put in 000-00-0000, the system comes back and tells you the SS number is invalid. (And you can't leave that box blank, either, as far as I can tell.)

Went through the list of Free File sites that claim they can handle foreign addresses, and noted the age restrictions. Tried with FileYourTaxes.com, which claims they will take anyone aged 16 - 69, but on their site they claim you must have AGI of $9,000 to $57,000, which lets me out. (The way the forms get prepared, my AGI is the total of my interest income - the part I can't exclude with the FEIE.)

So then I went to TaxSlayer, which las no age restrictions noted. They, however, will only free file a 1040EZ - which lets out claiming the FEIE (you have to file a "long form" 1040 to take the FEIE).

Next choice, I decided to check out TaxAct, even though the IRS listing claims that they have age limits (i.e. 18 to 57), and I fall outside that limit. However, on the TaxAct website, there is no mention of any age limits. The site is quite a bit easier to use (IMO) than the TurboTax site, though every few screens, there are offers to "upgrade" to one of their paying services for particular types of assistance or information. (You can just click "no, thanks" and keep on going.)

The big excitement, though, is that on the screen that asks for name and SSN or ITIN for your spouse, TaxAct has a box to check that says "my spouse is an NRA and doesn't need a SSN or ITIN" - click that, and away you go.

Have gotten up to the point where the next step is to click on "e-file my taxes" but I am not quite ready to do that yet. It does, however, look as if I may actually be able to e-file this year. 

Stay tuned - and do share your experiences, if you have tried or are trying to e-file using the free file sites for 2012.
Cheers,
Bev


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## Bevdeforges

*There's good news and bad news.*

OK, I have both good news and bad news on the e-filing from overseas front.

The good news is that TaxAct actually will allow you to free-file with almost no restrictions. They claim that they will allow you to file any form that can be e-filed. The questionnaire is pretty simple and certainly produces what I thought was a nicely done return.

I e-filed this morning - and by the end of the day I had an e-mail back saying that the IRS had rejected my e-filing because I was filing as "married filing separately" but had not filled in the name and social security number or ITIN for my spouse. TaxAct correctly notes the NRA spouse on the form, but the IRS e-filing system can't (or won't) accept any non-numeric characters in that SSN field.

So, I took advantage of the TaxAct option to just print out the returns to mail in (and filled in "NRA" in the SSN boxes by hand). TaxAct also sets up the FBAR forms for you - though you have to print those out. They can't be e-filed through the TaxAct site.

For those of you simply located overseas, without an NRA spouse, it looks like TaxAct should work pretty nicely for you. (And just forget about the age restrictions for TaxAct that are listed on the IRS website. There are no age restrictions on the TaxAct site itself.)

If anyone else has experience with any of the other free file sites, we'd love to hear how things went - positive or negative.
Cheers,
Bev


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## PaulJustSouth

*To Zip or Not to Zip*

After 20 years outside the US and two previous years' unsuccessful e-attemps, I'm trying electronic filing again. Using Free File Fillable Forms with a non-USA address, I got the same error - 601ERRV:17, CustHdr_11, supposedly a zip code error. I read all your helpful attempts and tried a few patches myself. After several tries that returned the same error, I used a variation of that tried by av11127. In the Form 1040:

City = Nairobi 
State = no entry (picked from the pull-down)
Zip = my 5-digit *foreign *postal code
Foreign country = Kenya
Foreign postal code *(left blank)*

Seems there's no trouble with Zip in the Form 2555. I did not have a 1099-R. My spouse has a US SSN.

But will the IRS accept the form? Hmmm.... I'll let you know in 24-48 hours...
Regards,
Paul


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## Bevdeforges

The issue with the Free File Fillable forms is supposed to involve how your report your foreign earned income. But let us know how you get on.
Cheers,
Bev


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## PaulJustSouth

But, alas, although FreeFile Fillable Forms accepted my filing, the IRS did not. The FFFForms people sent me an e-mail saying that the "XML data has failed schema validation" on both the 1040 and 2555. There is a Helps and FAQ file but the instructions don't actually help anything. As you suggest, the problem may be in the way I am obliged to report my FEIE. It has always worked with stamps, so that's what we'll do!


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## Bevdeforges

On the Free File Fillable forms page there is a link to the IRS publication on Program Limitations. From that:



> *International (Foreign) Filers:* Taxpayers who need to file a Foreign Employer Compensation Record (FEC) will not be able to e-file their return using Fillable Forms. Additionally, taxpayers with foreign addresses who have a spouse or dependent without a SSN or an ITIN may not be able to e-file using Fillable Forms, if the spouse or child needs to be identified on the return.


It took some digging to find information on that FEC thing (most places think it has something to do with voting and elections), but it seems to be the electronic substitute for a W-2 and if you have foreign "earned income" then you have to use this to e-file. 

TaxAct apparently has such a thing, though it doesn't call it that.
Cheers,
Bev


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## makaloco

I had no foreign income, earned or other. My only income, apart from Social Security, was reported on 1099-Rs, and I still got the "ZIP code" error. Snail mail worked, though, and my refund was deposited yesterday, hooray! Took four weeks and four days from when the mail tracking system showed my return as delivered.


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## Amakudari

Hey, sorry to be a thread necromancer, but this is the only hit I found on Google and I know what's causing the "601ERRV:17, CustHdr_11 - ?:? - Invalid Zip Code" error. It's the line on the 1040 asking for your ZIP code. Even if you follow the instructions and fill in your foreign address in its entirety, validation still fails.

To get around it, I used a dummy ZIP of 00000 and e-filing worked. We'll see if the powers that be find that acceptable.


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## amphitecna

Hi Folks- I've been using the free H and R block services. Up to this year I could efile with the French address. This year I put in NRA for my husband's SSN, so that nullified the e-filing. But other than that, no problems- no income restrictions (as far as I know, I have no income other than some interest bearing accounts and investments stateside).

Just thought I'd throw that one out there.


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## Bevdeforges

Apparently, it's the omission of a SS number for the NRA spouse in the IRS system that is throwing out the e-filings. I had no problems with the Tax Act system up to and including actually e-filing. It was the IRS that came back and said they couldn't accept it due to the filing status (MFS) but no SS number for the spouse.

Oh well - mail it in. There's still plenty of time until the overseas deadline for filing!
Cheers,
Bev


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## c.ortiz

Just a quick contribution regarding the results of my quest, in case it might help someone. As of today, the IRS Free File page lists 7 companies who will allegedly do foreign addresses. I've had rule out most because of the forms I need to file, or my AGI.

ESmart – does not support form 2555
Taxslayer – does not support form 8939
OLT - $12k min AGI
FileYourTaxes - $9k min AGI
1040now – does not support form 8939
1040[dot]com - says it supports all forms, but can't enter non-resident spouse without a SSN, or a non-US phone number

Looks like I'll go with TaxAct based on advice here. I guess this is better than just filling in PDFs by yourself, but still ain't e-filing for all! For those with non-resident spouse without a SSN it seems there's no way to get around snail-mail (though may check out OLT for that - they only charge $7.95 if your AGI is under their limit. will report back if any success, but I'm not holding my breath).


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## c.ortiz

*sigh* OLT has no way to add non-resident spouse; and requires a US phone number (all 0's don;t work for either). Looks like TaxAct and snail-mail it is...


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## Cowshill

*Dummy Zipcode Worked*

For the record I just filed successfully with free file fillable. I had the zipcode error and could not find any cure. I found this thread by Googling the error message. I added 12345 in the zipcode box, the file transmitted, and less than an hour later it was accepted by the IRS.

If they send me any mail my address will end with:

Bishop Auckland 12345 DL13 1JG
UK

I suppose it will still get to me. Might be better to try 00000 and see if it works. Less likely to cause head-scratching at the local post office. :fingerscrossed:

- Jim


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## ehack

*Another success with dummy zipcode*



av11127 said:


> I had the same problem. I tried the same thing you did, changing the country code. Nothing.
> What I did in the end was put my PObox number (which is 5-digits long) in the Zip Code box,(yes, the zip code for the US!) and it went through.
> I willfind out if it was accepted in a couple of days and post back.
> Perhaps just writing 12345 will do the trick until they realize that they need to accept an empty box for zipcode if a foreign country has been selected...


Thank you - this message is mainly to express my appreciation for the advice in this thread. Inspired by your message, I tried 00000 for the zip code and it was accepted; I now see another responder did the same.


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