American tax return help

[whitewolfchefny]

On 1/18/2021 at 12:57 PM, timendres said:

I have used Turbo Tax for years now. If your income is below $30k (if I remember correctly), it is free to use. It properly handles the US tax exemption for my Thai income, my dividends, my capital gains, as well as my rental property income in the US. It is super simple to use. I print my returns and mail them via EMS, and I have never had a problem. I would give it a try to see if it can handle all of your deductions.

I Think It May Be Free For Us Taxable Income Under 36k This Year. I Just Used TT For My Own 2020 Tax Returns. Fast Easy Very Thorough Even With Multiple Tax Circumstances. I Also See This Year Questions On Realized Income On Crypto. 
$32.50 For Fed 1040 Itemized, New York State Where They Tax You For Breathing.   

[Iron Tongue]

Did you start here to check on the status of your kids' stimulus payments?  

 

https://www.irs.gov/coronavirus/get-my-payment

[yankee99]

I can tell you if your wife has a itin and was on your 2019 return you were excluded from the 1st stimulus as i was. You should have received the 2nd stimulus and i believe can now claim the 1st on your taxes

[rwill]

4 hours ago, rwill said:

I use OLT.com to do my taxes.  Federal returns are free.  It walks you through everything.  Easy to use.

 

3 hours ago, racyrick said:

Will they do your return if you ONLY have an address in Thailand and NO address in the US? Thanks

 

I only have a Thai address.

[Jeffrey346]

9 hours ago, thesetat2013 said:

I was offered the free online ones due to low income based on SSDI only... But noone is there to answer any questions or give one on one help without asking exorbitant fees... 

I used eFile Free service this year. I had 3 question which they answered via email within 24 hours. 

[Jeffrey346]

I didn't get the first either but did claim it on my 2020 return. $1200 for me 600 for the wife.

[Jeffrey346]

7 hours ago, mtls2005 said:

 

Just saw this.

 

Your return is really quite simple...Lines 5a, 5b and Line 30 (Recovery Rebate Credit, where you claim any valid EIP payments which were not received. I'd only claim the first one this year, but you could try including the second one).

 

Taking your refund as a direct deposit in a U.S. bank might be ideal. How are you receiving your SSDI payments?

 

 

No reason he can't claim both..

[Why Me]

14 hours ago, thesetat2013 said:

I was offered the free online ones due to low income based on SSDI only... But noone is there to answer any questions or give one on one help without asking exorbitant fees... 

 

Many don't know this but the IRS itself has a tax help line where they answer questions re returns and notices. Couple of years ago a rep there saved me a bundle by pointing me to the right document. Here's what I dialed +1-267-941-1000 (press 1-> 4 ->4). Yes, there is a hold time so use the internet to call.

 

As with any Govt. office the quality of staff varies. I had to call more than once to get my issue resolved. But their whole purpose is to help those who don't have access to professional resources and the support was courteous and unhurried.

[lopburi3]

OK IRS is not accepting any e-file until February 12 so refunds will not be a fast this year for us early filers.

 

TaxAct required phone PIN but did not use Thailand country code - to reset or use requires a US number it seems.  Unable to log on after many years of use.  They also seem to require a US state now so may not be foreign friendly anymore.

 

TurboTax was a maze but at least had option to select country/phone number.  But did not find misc income to declare wife old age payments and each step took 20 entries.  Then has to be paid by US address credit card - you can not even use the double cost pay from refund with foreign address.  After paying there online computer would not accept to format error (many tries) so had to print out for mail but they did not include interest income paperwork and have no 1099s.

 

Recommendation in forum of OLT.com so gave them a try - a bit of hit/miss getting foreign phone number in but other than that very simple system so if ever did yourself should be easy   Much like TaxAct was 20 years ago and at $0 at lot cheaper than the on sale TurboTax $40.  Did everything currently and both came out at same refund (including 1,200 not provided last year due wife having ITIN) in about half the time.

 

But as said file on hold until February 12th.

 

 

[lopburi3]

OK Feb 12 just passed in USA and IRS seems to be open.  Just received email that my OLT submitted tax return accepted (although OLT website can not be connected with today - suspect a lot of people trying to access after this long delay getting back to business by IRS).

[lopburi3]

1 hour ago, lopburi3 said:

(although OLT website can not be connected with today - suspect a lot of people trying to access after this long delay getting back to business by IRS).

Cockpit error - was using VPN - removed VPN and connection to OLT server made.

[thesetat2013]

There is an app by the irs... Can find it in Google play store called IRS2GO. My return was completed and the app shows refund due in 21 days

[mtls2005]

Available as of last year's tax season, works well.

 

 

https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/irs2goapp

 

Web status: https://sa.www4.irs.gov/irfof/lang/en/irfofgetstatus.jsp