USA topic -- taxact.com filing website major change in free service

[Jingthing]

I'm sure many expats use the taxact website to do online U.S. tax filing. I started using them (rather than the competition) because they fully supported (and still do) using a FOREIGN ADDRESS for online filing (as opposed to printing out forms and mailing them in). Back when I switched, the competition didn't. Not sure about now.

 

Anyway, the news I want to report is that taxact no longer offers FREE filing if you have any CAPITAL GAINS/LOSSES to report. For example, sales of stocks and mutual funds, so common.

For that there is a fee now of about 25 dollars but there are only two ways to pay for that -- credit card or they will deduct it from your tax refund.

 

Obviously if you don't have a credit card or tax refund due over 25 dollars, you're out of luck, and you will no longer be able to use taxact to file your taxes IF you have any capital gains/losses.

 

As long as we're talking tax filing software, are other services than taxact now supporting using a foreign address for ONLINE filing and if so, please name them.

 

Best regards for peace and happiness during this divisive election season.

Edited October 11, 2016 by Jingthing

[lopburi3]

Are you sure there basic $14.99 (often discounted to regular uses) does not cover cap gains?  I have been using for several decades and are sure it used to.  

[Jingthing]

3 minutes ago, lopburi3 said:

Are you sure there basic $14.99 (often discounted to regular uses) does not cover cap gains?  I have been using for several decades and are sure it used to.  

Yes, I'm sure as of very recently. I tried to file a free return as usual and they gave me only ONE choice and the explicit reason was support for capital gains. That only choice was about 25 dollars. 

The "problem" came up as soon as I answered YES to the question of do I have capital gains to report. 

Like I said capital gains have been supported for several years ... FREE. 

But not now.

For real. 

It's not bad to have to pay for their service but people that don't have a credit card, it's game over. 

Edited October 11, 2016 by Jingthing

[lopburi3]

OK that is probably a recent change as I do not have stocks anymore so have not used the last few times.  If you do not file electronically they still have below payment option.

1. Paper Check/Money Order - Mailed (we do not accept check by phone)

[Jingthing]

OK that is probably a recent change as I do not have stocks anymore so have not used the last few times.  If you do not file electronically they still have below payment option.

1. Paper Check/Money Order - Mailed (we do not accept check by phone)

I wasn't offered any other payment options and I did click around the printed form option. But you may be right. It's worth knowing if you can't use a credit card. The payment requirement occurred at the filing step after the return the was finished.

[lopburi3]

This option is for the downloaded program so you would not have been offered for on-line.

https://www.taxact.com/tsupport/FAQDisplay.asp?Question=786

[higgy88]

The last time I filed back in April,  I switched from taxact to online taxes (OLT)

 

http://www.olt.com/main/oltfree/default.asp

 

[Jingthing]

3 hours ago, higgy88 said:

The last time I filed back in April,  I switched from taxact to online taxes (OLT)

 

http://www.olt.com/main/oltfree/default.asp

 

Does that support using a foreign address with online filing?

[Jeffrey346]

I have been using Taxslayer for years. They support foreign address and efiling..

 

https://www.taxslayer.com/

[playboy]

Hi, those online taxes are reliable? And simple to use?  How those companies charge the fee to use their software?  do they have customer service if we have questions?  

Thank you

[playboy]

Does foreign address or in us address will make different on return or any complication on return?

[Jingthing]

5 hours ago, playboy said:

Hi, those online taxes are reliable? And simple to use?  How those companies charge the fee to use their software?  do they have customer service if we have questions?  

Thank you

I've been using taxact online (and free, till the last one) filing for several years now. They directly cooperate with the IRS, very legit, and in my experience very reliable. Of course if the IRS has a problem with your return, how you file is irrelevant. They have help screens (which I've used a lot) and customer service but I've never needed it. Not sure about customer service for the free service. I do recommend taxact. Simple? Well, taxes are not always simple so don't expect miracles. 

Edited October 12, 2016 by Jingthing

[Jingthing]

5 hours ago, playboy said:

Does foreign address or in us address will make different on return or any complication on return?

Of course it has implications about your U.S. STATE residency for example. 

Many expats file PART YEAR returns when moving abroad to signal to their last U.S. state that they are no longer resident.

Determining state residency is a very complex question, and different states have very different rules.

It's less of any issue by far if your last state has no state taxes.

But if you want to "divorce" yourself from your last U.S. state, continuing to use that old address could become an issue.

There is also the Obamacare health insurance requirement. Living abroad you can claim an exemption and yes doing that is enable in taxact. If you use a U.S. address, your exemption claim might be less credible.  

Expat tax issues can be complicated, and wasn't starting this thread to go into every issue.

It can be a mine field depending on your personal situation. 

Many expats do use a non-U.S. address to file so if we're using online filing, that has to be supported, or we can't use their services. 

Edited October 12, 2016 by Jingthing

[Jeffrey346]

5 hours ago, playboy said:

Hi, those online taxes are reliable? And simple to use?  How those companies charge the fee to use their software?  do they have customer service if we have questions?  

Thank you

Yes, they are reliable and very simple to use. Most have a free version. If your return is complicated or requires self-employment or business deductions.. there is a pay version available.. Usually $12 to 30..  

 

5 hours ago, playboy said:

Does foreign address or in us address will make different on return or any complication on return?

Some of us no longer have US addresses and require a service that supports foreign addresses.

Those living outside the US get an automatic 3 month extension. You can extend to 6 months if necessary.. 

[RedQualia]

Have used the IRS's "FreeFile" program the past couple of years. Kind of a quirky program with a few idiosyncrasies it took me a while to figure out (Schedule E requires a separate form for each rental property; can't be combined), and if there's an error, the error messages are not particularly helpful (doing an internet search for the error message seems to be best). These things said, 100% free, supports foreign addresses, and etc. Meets all my needs in any case.

 

https://www.irs.gov/uac/free-file-do-your-federal-taxes-for-free

[playboy]

Thank you for information.  My wife does not have income and I am retired with regular incomes. For 2 years I went back to Us to file my income taxes and cost for accounting to file for me is $400 for me and my wife file joint.  Of course my wife visites her parent and relative there to offset the cost of airfare!

thank you again