Unable to fill out IRS return???

Aaaarrgghhh.... I'm trying to fill out my US tax return but the stupid online forms will not accept an out-of-country phone number! This is absolutely ridiculous! I've tried the "Free online " forms, but always before I could download a 1040, fill it out, and send it in the post. Now  it appears we HAVE TO use the "Free File" companies listed (ie. Turbotax, etc.). I know the US is always US-centric with their forms and 800 phone numbers that don't work for out-of-country folks, but surely they want us to file our taxes!

Anyone have a secret for doing this that they can share?

Regular posters will know that I have been a recent convert to TaxAct. Good and intuitive software -   I used it to free file this year for my daughter, filed 3 weeks ago and she has her refund already!. I've also used the paid version for myself as free file is not an option for me.

So here's a few tips for you to bypass the lack of a US address or phone number or both:

1. Use a UK mobile phone without the leading 0 and treat it as a pseudo US number. Make sure you don't tick any boxes to send you a text. This is the number that will go on your 1040.
2. TaxAct sends you an email code and a text code -when you register but obviously you won't receive the text code because you're not using a valid number - select the option for them to resend it and they sent me mine via email - I used it and it registered.
3. As you're using Free file (select it from the IRS website because it links directly to TaxAct Free File) - you won't have to pay. If you do ever need to buy the software and pay for it, you can do that also without a US mailing address by using what is called a 'white address'  - use only the first line of your UK credit card billing address and for the rest of the address use the TaxAct, city, state & zip code - and voila, the payment goes through!

Good Luck!

Regular posters will know that I have been a recent convert to TaxAct. Good and intuitive software -   I used it to free file this year for my daughter, filed 3 weeks ago and she has her refund already!. I've also used the paid version for myself as free file is not an option for me.

So here's a few tips for you to bypass the lack of a US address or phone number or both:

1. Use a UK mobile phone without the leading 0 and treat it as a pseudo US number. Make sure you don't tick any boxes to send you a text. This is the number that will go on your 1040.
2. TaxAct sends you an email code and a text code -when you register but obviously you won't receive the text code because you're not using a valid number - select the option for them to resend it and they sent me mine via email - I used it and it registered.
3. As you're using Free file (select it from the IRS website because it links directly to TaxAct Free File) - you won't have to pay. If you do ever need to buy the software and pay for it, you can do that also without a US mailing address by using what is called a 'white address'  - use only the first line of your UK credit card billing address and for the rest of the address use the TaxAct, city, state & zip code - and voila, the payment goes through!

Good Luck!

Wow, what an amazing set of hoops to jump through to file one’s taxes. This is just another example of how the US is run by oligopolies.

Yep - is it any wonder that so many USC's living overseas simply don't bother.

I'm in the same position in trying to access and setup "My Social Security" - it shouldn't be so difficult. My SS earnings record has an error (omission) on it from 1993 that affects my retirement payment (circa $30 per month - short of course!)  - I've written letters to them in Baltimore - not even an acknowledgement or response - been going on for 2 years now......

Yep - is it any wonder that so many USC's living overseas simply don't bother.

I'm in the same position in trying to access and setup "My Social Security" - it shouldn't be so difficult. My SS earnings record has an error (omission) on it from 1993 that affects my retirement payment (circa $30 per month - short of course!)  - I've written letters to them in Baltimore - not even an acknowledgement or response - been going on for 2 years now......

My wife applied a month ago through the form on the FBU website at the US Embassy in London to start receiving her SS benefits and hasn't even had an acknowledgement yet that the request has been received.

I'm due to start receiving my UK state pension in September and Social Security in November - I guess it might be time to start the process with the FBU then - was hoping they (SS) might have sorted my 1993 earnings record before starting the process however.

I finally found the forms (1040) on the IRS website, so just downloaded them and will send in the post. I've found the embassy staff to be less than helpful for most things. I've been trying to get my address changed for Social Security Administration for a year now. Still unsuccessful.

Interesting on the reports on the FBU in London. Early last summer I sent them an email asking how I could change my SS direct deposit from going to my UK bank to my USA bank, as I was returning to the USA.  I received a phone call within a week and the gent took care of it while I was on the phone with him.  When I initially applied for SS back in 2017 I remember it taking a few months, and then getting a retro-lump-sum. (I did that application via post.) I did start the process about 90 days before I wanted to collect SS payments, on the advice of a newsletter article I'd had from my former employer's retirement bureau.

I wonder if they've brought staffing levels back up to what they were or if they're still limping along trying to deal with the backlogs? (In any event, two years is entirely too long to have gone without having heard something.

Just to clarify - my two year wait for a SS response was having sent correspondence via mail to Baltimore not to the FBU in London. 

Sadly there are parts of the US government that don't seem to recognize that there is a world outside of the 50 states - too often sending mail (that doesn't get delivered - either through insufficient postage or poor addressing). This is compounded by their steadfast refusal to correspond by e-mail or bya secure website.

I have a 2017 tax return that is not yet agreed (another story!) - I'm still awaiting responses to 2 letters sent on  21 March 2020 & 11th September 2020 - no doubt sitting in an IRS trailer somewhere in Texas waiting to be opened!

It's not just the government that can't recognize anything outside the US. Probably 90% of the websites I see, cannot handle foreign addresses or phone numbers. Then they tell you that if you have a problem, just call this 800 number.... ha ha! They just can't get that we cannot call 800 numbers! And some of these websites are big companies like Charles Schwab, Bank of America, and I could go on. Fortunately, I have a sister who lets me use her address if I'm desperate. I have US credit card that I used occasionally when I want to order something and have it shipped directly to a family member in the US, like for birthdays or Christmas.

Personally I find banks are the worst. There is simply no such thing as global banking unless maybe you're a big company or a millionaire.

It's not just the government that can't recognize anything outside the US. Probably 90% of the websites I see, cannot handle foreign addresses or phone numbers. Then they tell you that if you have a problem, just call this 800 number.... ha ha! They just can't get that we cannot call 800 numbers! And some of these websites are big companies like Charles Schwab, Bank of America, and I could go on. Fortunately, I have a sister who lets me use her address if I'm desperate. I have US credit card that I used occasionally when I want to order something and have it shipped directly to a family member in the US, like for birthdays or Christmas.

Personally I find banks are the worst. There is simply no such thing as global banking unless maybe you're a big company or a millionaire.

Two potential options:

https://www.howtocallabroad.com/qa/toll-free.html

and then for the banks, etc.: get to a BT operator and place the call as "collect". I phoned BofA many times from a phone booth on the corner in the UK without problem - they have a special number for overseas calls. You have to find a landline and then go through the BT operator, charges reversed.

I've tried that thing before about calling 800 numbers but it didn't work. I now collect non-800 numbers! I subscribe to an app called Toolani that lets you make overseas calls for pennies. I used it a lot before my family got Facetime.

Yeah, I use Callcentric and it gives me both a US phone number and the ability to make and receive phone calls using it anywhere in the world (as long as I can connect to the internet). Costs me about $3 a month, no charge to me for incoming calls, outgoing calls are literally pennies anywhere in the world.

Fortunately I held onto my US Skype account.  There are a few dollars on it still but where I used to use it to call England and Australia at very cheap rates (2.3c/minute) while we lived in the USA, I now use it almost exclusively to dial those toll free 0-800 US numbers when needed.