How is everyone doing filing their U.S. income tax from the Philippines?

[Art, just a re(tired) Fil-Am]

Me, I'm not doing too well! I've been using Turbo Tax on-line for many years and now there's a glitch somewhere. I have problems getting my credit card to go through to pay for my preparation and filing fees! Turbo Tax can't seem to validate my credit card. I just got my new credit cards a few months ago. I called my credit card company and they don't see anything wrong in their system. They just told me to be sure the address matches where my card came from. I even tried H&R Block and got the same issue. I deleted my H&R Block on-line account. There's still more to my story, but it get's complicated to explain. I just hope I do not have the same issues next year! 
Anyone else have problems doing their U.S. income tax on-line from the Philippines?
Fortunately we will be in California next week and we can take care of the problem there.
BTW, Skype works really well from the Philippines calling U.S. toll free 1-800 numbers! 

[cvgtpc1]

Did you try a different card?  I have one that no matter what I've tried I can't purchase PAL flights with.

[Art, just a re(tired) Fil-Am]

You name it, I've tried it all! I haven't a clue what's up or down!
I won't bother with it now, since we'll be in N. California next week
on vacation for a few months.

[M.C.A.]

Me, I'm not doing too well! I've been using Turbo Tax on-line for many years and now there's a glitch somewhere. I have problems getting my credit card to go through to pay for my preparation and filing fees! Turbo Tax can't seem to validate my credit card. I just got my new credit cards a few months ago. I called my credit card company and they don't see anything wrong in their system. They just told me to be sure the address matches where my card came from. I even tried H&R Block and got the same issue. I deleted my H&R Block on-line account. There's still more to my story, but it get's complicated to explain. I just hope I do not have the same issues next year! 
Anyone else have problems doing their U.S. income tax on-line from the Philippines?
Fortunately we will be in California next week and we can take care of the problem there.
BTW, Skype works really well from the Philippines calling U.S. toll free 1-800 numbers! 

Art sorry about your credit card difficulties.... were you able to actuate your card by phone?  And then double check the number of your credit card, you know I had a Visa and my bank still called it a Visa but it's actually a Mastercard from NFCU also sometimes the 3 digit code on the back changes or hard to read.  Anyway something to look in on if your card works everywhere else, double check or change the card in Turbo Tax.

I always have some minor difficulties trying to figure out how to get through Turbo Tax, I picked the W2 form so that caused me some issue's (I do it every time)and then I put the withholding tax amount in the wrong box.  Once the federal forms came in I was able to finish up, the mandatory health care also came out okay because I use Tricare.  Already received my state tax and now waiting for me Federal tax refund.

[Art, just a re(tired) Fil-Am]

One recommendation my credit card company mentioned, is to reissue new cards. Sounds good to me! I'll try it when we get to N. California. Anyways, we'll be there on vacation for 2 to 3 months.

[Art, just a re(tired) Fil-Am]

Amazing! It seems I have solved my own issues here! My 2014 income tax for Federal and State was just filed electronically for "FREE" just a few minutes ago using Turbo Tax's free offer using their 1040EZ form, since we didn't have anything to declare and or itemize, just by entering what was on all of my form 1099R and answering all of their questions with a NO answer. I did not pay a penny, nada to Turbo Tax to prepare and E-file our taxes for our Federal and State returns! Turbo Tax tried to dupe me into upgrading my filing, but I declined their suggestions and the E-filing of our taxes still went through without any issues.   
I guess the 6th time redoing and redoing it paid off. We only owe money to Federal, none to State and it will be debited from our U.S. Bank account in N. California automatically before the April deadline.
I just got an email confirmation from Turbo Tax after 20 minutes from filing our returns that our Federal and State E-filing have been received and accepted by the IRS. 
So, we're good to go until next year!

[Lee2]

Good to hear Art, yes if a person has under a certain amount of income ($31,000 they say on the page below) then turbotax is supposed to do it for free.
https://turbotax.intuit.com/taxfreedom/

[bigrod]

Art,

I am confused as how you were able to use 1040EZ.  I am assuming you added your 1099s and submitted that as your income. First 1099s cannot be used on 1040EZ, second to file 1040EZ you must be 64 years old or younger.  I just did the referenced program and answered the questions with a yes were applicable and it said to use 1040A, which jives with the instruction booklet from IRS.

Chuck

[Art, just a re(tired) Fil-Am]

It just says plain 1040 top heading on my 2013 and 2014 ITR forms from Turbo Tax. I don't really know, cause I'm not a tax expert, because I did not bother to ask, since their software would catch any errors to my answers. I just answered all of their questions and the process went through somehow without any issues at the time and after of their E-filing our returns, even though my AGI was more than $31,000. I must have found a loop hole in their system. Anyway, IRS received and accepted Turbo Tax's E-filing of our Federal and State returns. Their software even did a full analysis of any possible errors. I just answered all of their questions truthfully and honestly with all the correct numbers from my Form 1099Rs.
I would just assume since IRS received and accepted the E-filing processed by Turbo Tax, that the E-filing is not reversible by Turbo Tax, but they can always charge me for their process if I am ineligible for their "FREE" filing offer, which went through without any issues. Go Figure!   
If Turbo Tax catches any errors after the fact, I'm sure they will be e-mailing me of their errors, because I know I answered everything they asked in the preparation and of their E-filing process, which was out of my hands when sent to the IRS without any 1040 form errors and I already have the entire copy of it provided by Turbo Tax and it looked fine to me, but then again I'm no expert. It's Identical to our last year's ITR, except for the amounts from my 1099s.   

[bigrod]

Both 1040a and 1040EZ are free on TURBO Tax, if you used 1099 it would file it as 1040A, I would think.  Also since you were over 64 on Dec 31 it would be the 1040A.  The program should automatically do this, plus I think you logged in so they should have verified previous filings you had with them.

Chuck

[Art, just a re(tired) Fil-Am]

I don't know Chuck. Just have to wait and see what becomes of my e-filing by Turbo Tax.
I've been using Turbo Tax for the pass 7 yrs without any issues until now when my credit cards had some issues of not being able to be validated by Turbo Tax and H&R Block on-line for payment. I still do not know if I will have the same issues next year when trying to pay any charges with Turbo Tax, but I will replace my credit cards and see what happens next year.
I deleted H&R Block, because they have a weird on-line software that seems to be incomplete and they asked for a valid current U.S. driver's license and U.S. phone number for credit card payments, which I don't have, except for my brother-in-law's cellphone number. 

[bigrod]

Another article on what form to use.  Us old farts can not use 1040EZ, just our luck.

I'll have to jump  through some extra hoops since we have to get Gladys an ITIN to file our joint return.

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/picking-proper-1040-tax-return-100000622.html

Chuck

[Art, just a re(tired) Fil-Am]

Sorry about mentioning the 1040EZ form, I don't know anything about these tax rules! I just let their Turbo Tax on-line software do all the work and it has worked for me for many years without any issues. Hurrraaaay for Turbo Tax! I hate straining my brain with all these tax stuff! 
Luckily my wife is now a dual citizen and she got her SSN in N. California after her arrival in the U.S.
Yeah, all this business with ITINs is a real pain in the butt.
Anyway, I'm not too concerned about our 2014 ITR e-filed by Turbo Tax. At least IRS has received and accepted our e-filing of our 2014 ITR yesterday with fingers crossed.
Good luck with your 2014 U.S. ITR filing.

[wjenkins2634]

Question is how do you get turbo tax to accept the 4 digit zip code for the Philippines. I live in Andrayan Norte, Solana and used tubro last year and had to send the blasted thing in the mail. Would not accept the four digit 3503. Thanks and have a nice day.

[Art, just a re(tired) Fil-Am]

Always use a U.S. residence or mailing address when using Turbo Tax to e-file your income tax forms. It seems that Turbo Tax and or the IRS doesn't accept overseas addresses.