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Topic: Filing date for US Taxes  (Read 995 times)

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Filing date for US Taxes
« on: January 14, 2014, 08:01:33 AM »
I know there is an extension to June 15th for those residing abroad, but if I do not meet the "bona fide residence" qualification, having been resident in UK for less than a full tax year, do I still have to go by the April deadline?  And do residents of foreign countries use the postmark date or must it be received by IRS on that date?  I suppose they want us to e-File but not sure if my situation is straightforward enough.
>^.^<
Married and moved to UK 1974
Returned to US 1995
Irish citizenship June 2009
    Irish passport September 2009 
Retirement July 2012
Leeds in 2013!
ILR (Long Residence) 22 March 2016


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Re: Filing date for US Taxes
« Reply #1 on: January 14, 2014, 08:15:25 AM »
You can file by June 15th. Bona fide residence has nothing to do with it.

Can't answer your question about postmark deadline vs. received deadline, but I'd argue it's beside the point. If you are concerned about meeting the deadline, why not file for an extension until October 15th? It's automatic and you can file the form quickly and easily using any tax software or by signing up to the EFTPS service.


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Re: Filing date for US Taxes
« Reply #2 on: January 14, 2014, 08:29:09 AM »
Your filing date is June 15, but any tax due must still be paid by April 15. The bona fide residence test does not dictate the filing date when you've moved late in the year; it affects your ability to use the foreign earned income exclusion, which probably won't apply to you.

You will be filing pretty much as you always have, which I assume is married filing separately. Any US social security you received after you moved to the UK is only taxable in the UK.  The tax treaty helps us regular folks very little, and without debating the detail or interpretation of said treaty, for simplicity's sake just assume that other income is taxable in the US regardless of whether it's taxed here. You can take a tax credit as appropriate.

The feds make it nigh onto impossible for us to e-file. I've paper filed for the 2 tax years since I've been back. The post mark date s fine, just as it is in the US; even with Airsure you probably won't have a clue when the IRS receives your return - if you want a bit more comfort, bite the bullet and pay for FedEx or UPS.

If you haven't worked since you returned, your situation is likely more straightforward than you think. Your state tax return is likely to be more complicated; mine definitely was in VA for that first year.
Married December 1992 (my 'old flame' whom I first met in the mid-70s)
1st move to UK - 1993 (Letter of Consent granted at British Embassy in Washington DC)
ILR - 1994 (1 year later - no fee way back then!)
Back to US in 2000
Returned to UK July 2011 (Spousal Visa/KOL endorsement)
ILR - September 2011
Application for naturalization submitted July 2014
Approval received 15-10-14; ceremony scheduled for 10 November!
Passport arrived 25 November 2014. Finally done!


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Re: Filing date for US Taxes
« Reply #3 on: January 14, 2014, 09:04:25 AM »
The feds make it nigh onto impossible for us to e-file.
This is no longer true. Most tax software now supports e-filing using a foreign address and handles all the forms most US citizens abroad might need. I managed to e-file for 2011 and 2012 using TurboTax and it handled my UK address without any problem.


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Re: Filing date for US Taxes
« Reply #4 on: January 14, 2014, 09:31:06 AM »
I won't disagree except to say that TT did not work for us. Might be fine for most folks, but we couldn't e-file all the required forms for our specific situation.

Married December 1992 (my 'old flame' whom I first met in the mid-70s)
1st move to UK - 1993 (Letter of Consent granted at British Embassy in Washington DC)
ILR - 1994 (1 year later - no fee way back then!)
Back to US in 2000
Returned to UK July 2011 (Spousal Visa/KOL endorsement)
ILR - September 2011
Application for naturalization submitted July 2014
Approval received 15-10-14; ceremony scheduled for 10 November!
Passport arrived 25 November 2014. Finally done!


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  • Posts: 5237

  • Liked: 12
  • Joined: Aug 2008
  • Location: Leeds
Re: Filing date for US Taxes
« Reply #5 on: January 15, 2014, 08:08:24 AM »
Thanks, folks.

Interesting about TurboTax.
>^.^<
Married and moved to UK 1974
Returned to US 1995
Irish citizenship June 2009
    Irish passport September 2009 
Retirement July 2012
Leeds in 2013!
ILR (Long Residence) 22 March 2016


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