Turbo Tax and Tax Forms needed

Hello,
    Well, its TAX Time. grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr  and like a few others here I too haven't filed my taxes since living here.  I need to file for 2007 and 2008.  I contacted H&R Block London and they quoted me £180.00 to file for me.  I nearly choked!  So I called the IRS-Philadelphia office and the unhelpful chap told me to look at Publication 54 and determine which forms I should use. Publication 54 is way over my head! So I called back and got someone else. He suggested Form 2555-EZ.  I asked if I would still need to file the 1040 EZ as well, and he said NO. But then looking at Form 2555-EZ it says submit with 1040. He had also said I cannot claim foreign housing has my employer is British owned and contributes nothing to it.  I will be filing as married filing separately as my hubby is British and we hadn't lived nor worked in the US. I also started a pension with my employer in June 08.  I also make way under the $87000.00
I have never filed my own taxes as my Ex-husband always took care of that in the US through his Tax Attorney.   I am new at all this tax stuff, so does anyone know which forms I need to file for sure based on my info above.  AND if TurboTax Online will be able to be used for forms 2555-EZ.   and for me to file for my late 2007 taxes.   I did ask, that since I am living in the UK if I could file ONLINE and he did say yes, using www.irs.gov  but reading on other threads majority say no to online sites, they all must go paper.

Can anyone shed some light on all this?

Cheers,

Tracy

I have never used Turbo Tax.  I have no experience of H & R Block in the UK.

It sounds however that your return would be quite complex.  You have to file 1040, Schedule B, 2555, 1116, 6251 and TD F 90-22.1.  You also need to report the employer contributions to the non-US qualified pension plan.  You may need to file 3520 and 3520-A if this is a foreign trust.

You need to know that you are late for 2007 and the penalty for late filing of the TD F 90-22-1 carries a penalty of $10,000 for late filing. 

Update from H&R Block London.. The fee is £180 per year.  Total would be £360.00 yikes. Looking elsewhere I think.

For a complex set of tax returns including possibly reporting foreign non-qualifying trusts that looks very inexpensive and is well below typical UK market rate for several hours work.

How are those of us with UK pension schemes supposed to calculate what we have and what might be owed and how to file if we don't get any relevant documents from the pension plan?

How are those of us with UK pension schemes supposed to calculate what we have and what might be owed and how to file if we don't get any relevant documents from the pension plan?

You can ask your HR department to send you something showing total employer contributions from January to December. Your own contibutions should be shown as deductions in your payslip.

I am assuming this is for a  money purchase pension.  There is probably some calculation for figuring out what is taxable from a defined benefit scheme.

Do we have to report and pay on our contributions as well?

Ok, just got off the phone again from the IRS and I was informed that the only forms needed are the 1040-EZ and the 2555-EZ.  No others!  My situation isn't at all complex,
 he stated as the only income I will be reporting is my own from the UK though my wages. I do not have to report my Pension as I will not be obtaining any form of income from it, so I can wait to report it when I actually cash it out when I turn 65 in 27 years.  No housing benefit/council tax credit as I rent without any help from my employer.  Also, I will not be punished for not filing in 2007 as it was an honest mistake.   Load off my mind!

I would suggest you get the IRS opinion in writing because it is contrary to IR Code section 402(b) which governs non-US employer sponsored pension plans.

Failure to disclose the pension on the TD F 90-22.1 form also adds a potential $10,000 a year penalty.

I assume you will claim the foreign housing cost as a deduction on the 2555.