U.s. Income Tax

[OriginalPoster]

If your return is that simple, you might want to do your return using TaxAct. You can do it either online or download their software (my preference). It is free if you do the federal return only. It also includes a free eFile.

Good luck

I'm trying to get this done, but Tax Act wants my W2 form from my employer. Since I am employed in Thailand, I of course don't have this. What now? Thanks!

Does Tax Act include Form 4852? That form is a replacement for form W2 than you can use if you are unable to get a W2 from your employer. Only downside is that (with TurboTax ar least) using that form prevents you from eFiling.

I'm using the free version of Tax Act. It did let me enter a foreign address, but now it gets to the W2 page and doesn't mention Form 4852 at all. It just says:

You should receive a Form W-2 from each employer by February 1, 2009. Enter each Form W-2 separately. After you complete each Form W-2, the program will ask if you have additional copies of Form W-2 to enter and allow you the opportunity to add new wage information.

So I'm not sure why other posters recommended it. Does Turbo Tax allow you to choose Form 4852 instead of W2?

TurboTax does allow you to choose Form 4852 instead of W2 (or at least the "paid' version that you can buy at the Pantip Plaza does). But with TaxAct, can you just pretend that you have an W2 and manually enter the salary that you received, or will it reject the pseudo W2 because of you not have a EIN number for your employer?

Edited May 16, 2009 by OriginalPoster

[ChiangMaiThai]

Tax Act accepts the W2 info without a EIN, but it is not smart enough to prompt me for the 2555 form. I guess I'll start over with turbo tax. They sure don't make this easy.

[lopburi3]

I just checked and form 2555 is available from the forms tab on TaxAct download that I have so believe you could fill it out.

[OriginalPoster]

I just checked and form 2555 is available from the forms tab on TaxAct download that I have so believe you could fill it out.

I thought that the purpose of Form 2555 was to calculate the amount of foreign income that is excludable from foreign taxes, and that independent of that you needed to enter the total amount of foreign income earned on form 1040 along with a W2 or a 4852.

Edited May 16, 2009 by OriginalPoster

[ChiangMaiThai]

Tax Act accepts the W2 info without a EIN, but it is not smart enough to prompt me for the 2555 form. I guess I'll start over with turbo tax. They sure don't make this easy.

Turbo Tax did not have me fill in Form 4852. Since I don't have a W2 from my Thai employer (of course) is this a problem that I haven't filed 4852?

[OriginalPoster]

Tax Act accepts the W2 info without a EIN, but it is not smart enough to prompt me for the 2555 form. I guess I'll start over with turbo tax. They sure don't make this easy.

Turbo Tax did not have me fill in Form 4852. Since I don't have a W2 from my Thai employer (of course) is this a problem that I haven't filed 4852?

I don't think that it's a problem as long as the income is reported somewhere. A lot of people who fill the forms out by hand omit the W2 and 4852 completely and just pen in the income on Form 1040 instead.

[BigSnake]

Why file if you have to pay, they will give it all away, "TAX AND SPEND"

[flying]

Why file if you have to pay, they will give it all away, "TAX AND SPEND"

At first I thought this was funny...then I realized the awful truth of it.

Be sure to read all the way to the end!

Tax his land,

Tax his bed,

Tax the table

At which he's fed.

Tax his tractor,

Tax his mule,

Teach him taxes

Are the rule.

Tax his work,

Tax his pay,

He works for peanuts anyway!

Tax his cow,

Tax his goat,

Tax his pants,

Tax his coat.

Tax his ties,

Tax his shirt,

Tax his work,

Tax his dirt.

Tax his tobacco,

Tax his drink,

Tax him if he

Tries to think.

Tax his cigars,

Tax his beers,

If he cries

Tax his tears.

Tax his car,

Tax his gas,

Find other ways

To tax his ass.

Tax all he has

Then let him know

That you won't be done

Till he has no dough.

When he screams and hollers;

Then tax him some more,

Tax him till

He's good and so

Then tax his coffin,

Tax his grave,

Tax the sod in

Which he's laid.

Put these words

Upon his tomb,

'Taxes drove me to my doom...'

When he's gone

Do not relax,

Its time to apply

The inheritance tax.

Accounts Receivable Tax

Building Permit Tax

CDL license Tax

Cigarette Tax

Corporate Income Tax

Dog License Tax

Excise Taxes

Federal Income Tax

Federal Unemployment Tax (FUTA)

Fishing License Tax

Food License Tax

Fuel Permit Tax

Gasoline Tax (44.75 cents per gallon)

Gross Receipts Tax

Hunting License Tax

Inheritance Tax

Inventory Tax

IRS Interest Charges IRS Penalties (tax on top of tax)

Liquor Tax

Luxury Taxes

Marriage License Tax

Medicare Tax

Personal Property Tax

Property Tax

Real Estate Tax

Service Charge T ax

Social Security Tax

Road Usage Tax

Sales Tax

Recreational Vehicle Tax

School Tax

State Income Tax

State Unemployment Tax (SUTA)

Telephone Federal Excise Tax

Telephone Federal Universal Service Fee Tax

Telephone Federal, State and Local Surcharge Taxes

Telephone Minimum Usage Surcharge Tax

Telephone Recurring and Non-recurring Charges Tax

Telephone State and Local Tax

Telephone Usage Charge Tax

Utility Taxes

Vehicle License Registration Tax

Vehicle Sales Tax

Watercraft Registration Tax

Well Permit Tax

Workers Compensation Tax

STILL THINK THIS IS FUNNY?

Not one of these taxes existed 100 years ago, and our

nation was the most prosperous in the world.

We had absolutely no national debt, had the largest

middleclass in the world, and Mom stayed home to raise the kids.

What in the hel_l happened? Can you spell 'politicians?'

And I still have to 'press 1' for English

!?!?!?!?

[Jungian]

I file my taxes every year no matter what the result is, that way they can't come back at me. You can get the forms on line or you can file on line. Forms are also available at the Embassy in Bangkok and Consulate in Chiang Mai.

[BEENTHEREDONETHAT]

Fly.............All those taxes are a excellent reason to live in LOS. They haven't discovered most of them yet.

[flying]

Fly.............All those taxes are a excellent reason to live in LOS. They haven't discovered most of them yet.

I will say aside from my wife that is the best thing I have found about LOS

They are very very fair when it comes to taxing their own.

Unlike this other place we call home....for now

[BEENTHEREDONETHAT]

If you are from California it is interesting to note that they are so broke they are proposing sending tax payers IOU's rather than refund checks. So maybe if you had one of those you could use it to pay your IRS bill?

[flying]

If you are from California it is interesting to note that they are so broke they are proposing sending tax payers IOU's rather than refund checks. So maybe if you had one of those you could use it to pay your IRS bill?

No I am lucky not to live on the continent

You know what else is funny? The IRS also accepts credit cards.