Back taxes

[77happyfeet 0]

I have to submit for the last three years, when I first moved here i did not qualify (income too low). For the last three years I have made between 12-15,000 does this fee sound right for (H & R Block to submit for me, service cost = $350per year x 3yrs, plus $350 per year if i have any RESPs (child schooling account) (too funny I put in $100 a month and I get charged $350 to report it!)...I have not even made any money on those and I have to pay $350 for each year. Please advise. In Canada it cost $80 to submit a Canadian 1040, then I have to pay $350 for it to go to the US, how come it cost $350 to submit (especially when my taxes are basic, low and not gains). thank you. frustrated and sick.

[Harpa Timsah 13,258]

Filing taxes is free. For a simple 1040 it's really not too hard to do by yourself. There is also free or low-cost tax software. Good luck.

[77happyfeet 0]

Filing taxes is free. For a simple 1040 it's really not too hard to do by yourself. There is also free or low-cost tax software. Good luck.

Wow, how do I do that. Is there a 1040 that can be downloaded on the computer...or as you state above a software. thank you.

[Ontarkie 14,280]

~~Moved to General Immigration - Related Discussion as the OP is a USC moving back to the US~~

[Harpa Timsah 13,258]

Wow, how do I do that. Is there a 1040 that can be downloaded on the computer...or as you state above a software. thank you.

Yes, of course! Here is the irs.gov portal for previous year forms. http://www.irs.gov/Forms-&-Pubs

Follow the instructions, complete the form, pay if you need (I doubt you will with 15K income), and mail it to them. There is also electronic filing on that site but I haven't done it myself.

You might qualify for 1040EZ (which is a simplified 1040 for certain circumstances), so you could check on that too. I don't know what a RESP is or the rules for it, but that might disqualify you for the EZ form.

All irs forms are freely available to everyone. You used to be able to pick them up at a local library.

Good luck.

[77happyfeet 0]

Yes, of course! Here is the irs.gov portal for previous year forms. http://www.irs.gov/Forms-&-Pubs

Follow the instructions, complete the form, pay if you need (I doubt you will with 15K income), and mail it to them. There is also electronic filing on that site but I haven't done it myself.

You might qualify for 1040EZ (which is a simplified 1040 for certain circumstances), so you could check on that too. I don't know what a RESP is or the rules for it, but that might disqualify you for the EZ form.

All irs forms are freely available to everyone. You used to be able to pick them up at a local library.

Good luck.

Gosh, thank you so much...pray for me...LOL

[Harpa Timsah 13,258]

I just want to add that when you said "here" I thought you meant the US (since it was in the citizenship forum). Since you are an American living in Canada, it will be a little different, but still doable. You will need to look into the rules and the forms for a "foreign income exclusion." That will go in tandem with your 1040. Good luck.

[77happyfeet 0]

I just want to add that when you said "here" I thought you meant the US (since it was in the citizenship forum). Since you are an American living in Canada, it will be a little different, but still doable. You will need to look into the rules and the forms for a "foreign income exclusion." That will go in tandem with your 1040. Good luck.

I don't feel like I'm a very smart person, really overcome by all the details and it doesn't seem like I'm getting any help from my husband. The I-864, report of income, do I put my children on there under my husband as supporter, I won't have a job and he will have a pension. I don't know how I'm going to pull this all off....sell our home starting March to get kids moved before Aug school season, and all this work in between my real job...I think I'm going to faint or curl up on a ball!...I just want to go home after 22yrs. Thank you.

[Harpa Timsah 13,258]

I thought you were doing taxes. Now questions about the I-864? They are sort of related but.... Why don't you separate out tasks?

[77happyfeet 0]

I thought you were doing taxes. Now questions about the I-864? They are sort of related but.... Why don't you separate out tasks?

I am just sending in my I-130 & 325A (that's all I'm allowed to submit first). Then I guess I get approval then move forward. I was just trying to look ahead, get my ducks in a row now, instead of later. I have a lot of concerns. Thank you, I will proceed one day at a time like everyone else.

[Harpa Timsah 13,258]

I am just sending in my I-130 & 325A (that's all I'm allowed to submit first). Then I guess I get approval then move forward. I was just trying to look ahead, get my ducks in a row now, instead of later. I have a lot of concerns. Thank you, I will proceed one day at a time like everyone else.

Okay, good. So send the I-130 and related forms. Then do your back taxes. Then worry about I-864 stuff.

If you want to cheaper help with taxes, there are online helpers like Turbotax. I think they charge less than $100. Check out the efiling stuff on irs.gov too. That should be free. They might help walk you through it a little more, I'm not sure.

[77happyfeet 0]

Okay, good. So send the I-130 and related forms. Then do your back taxes. Then worry about I-864 stuff.

If you want to cheaper help with taxes, there are online helpers like Turbotax. I think they charge less than $100. Check out the efiling stuff on irs.gov too. That should be free. They might help walk you through it a little more, I'm not sure.

I looked at turbotax...I will look at it again. Thank you so much.

[Darnell 8,478]

nothing wrong with using paper forms and sending all off to the IRS office in Philadelphia via postal mail, so keep that in mind.

cost for prep = FREE, if'n you do it yerself.

[77happyfeet 0]

nothing wrong with using paper forms and sending all off to the IRS office in Philadelphia via postal mail, so keep that in mind.

cost for prep = FREE, if'n you do it yerself.

So I'm supposed to go back 3yrs. I have Canadian tax returns. Do I just use a regular 1040? I will look into it. thank you.

[Kaylara 814]

2013

http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f1040.pdf

http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/i2555.pdf (instructions) and either http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f2555.pdf or http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/i2555ez.pdf See if you can use the Earned Income Exclusion here: http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f2555ez.pdf

----------------------------

2012

http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-prior/f1040--2012.pdf

http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-prior/f2555--2012.pdf

http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-prior/f2555ez--2012.pdf

-------------------------

2011

http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-prior/f1040--2011.pdf

http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-prior/f2555--2011.pdf

http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-prior/f2555ez--2011.pdf

-----------------------------------

2010

http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-prior/f1040--2010.pdf

http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-prior/f2555--2010.pdf

http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-prior/f2555ez--2010.pdf

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Anything beyond that: http://apps.irs.gov/app/picklist/list/priorFormPublication.html;jsessionid=hoDMhxSFfUF2wmP0rPUzVQ__?value=1040&criteria=formNumber&submitSearch=Find

http://apps.irs.gov/app/picklist/list/priorFormPublication.html;jsessionid=hoDMhxSFfUF2wmP0rPUzVQ__?value=2555&criteria=formNumber&submitSearch=Find

http://apps.irs.gov/app/picklist/list/priorFormPublication.html;jsessionid=hoDMhxSFfUF2wmP0rPUzVQ__?value=2555ez&criteria=formNumber&submitSearch=Find

Please note that you won't need to file both the 2555 and the 2555ez. You'll need to pick one or the other. Read the instructions that go with each form to make sure you're filling out the correct one for your situation.

Please also note that you'll need to provide monetary amounts in US dollars. The IRS doesn't have a standard for this, but will accept the conversion rates you use as long as they're broadly accurate for the time frame and used consistently. I used the conversion rates at XE.com for April 1 of each year that I was filing the taxes for.

Aside from the Foreign Earned Income Exclusion, you may be able to file for the housing exclusion. I didn't bother, because the Foreign Earned Income Exclusion more than covered the entire amount of my taxes.

And yes, you'll have to file a 1040 for each year.

Edited January 26, 2014 by Kaylara