Filing USA IRS 2021 in 2023
January 20, 2023 3:58 PM Subscribe
Let's say you didn't need to file a tax return for 2021, and you just now found a subtle complication which means you do need to file for 2021 after all. Are there any reputable tax preparers or resources which can file it for you electronically or otherwise faster than usps?
Degree of difficulty: must be doable solely via email/fax/phone (i.e. priority mail / fedex not doable for this case). Also, how much will it cost? How can you be sure they won't share personal/tax info with Facebook, Google etc. like last year's e-file vendors apparently did?
(PS No cause for concern here, there are no serious penalties or legal issues involved, but a return needs to be filed promptly)
Degree of difficulty: must be doable solely via email/fax/phone (i.e. priority mail / fedex not doable for this case). Also, how much will it cost? How can you be sure they won't share personal/tax info with Facebook, Google etc. like last year's e-file vendors apparently did?
(PS No cause for concern here, there are no serious penalties or legal issues involved, but a return needs to be filed promptly)
If it's not otherwise complicated and you qualify (income under $73K) you could use Free File.
posted by tivalasvegas at 4:06 PM on January 20, 2023
posted by tivalasvegas at 4:06 PM on January 20, 2023
Response by poster: Free File is open for 2022 taxes; this Ask is re: 2021 taxes in 2023. Free File for 2021 closed last November. Or am I wrong?
posted by zaixfeep at 4:09 PM on January 20, 2023
posted by zaixfeep at 4:09 PM on January 20, 2023
Ah, sorry, I didn't look back to see if you could do previous years.
posted by tivalasvegas at 4:27 PM on January 20, 2023
posted by tivalasvegas at 4:27 PM on January 20, 2023
Best answer: The free VITA sites will at least sometimes do back taxes for the last two years and I think a lot of them do virtual prep. Since it’s volunteer operated they generally don’t sell data but you’re trusting a given trained volunteer.
posted by peppercorn at 8:59 PM on January 20, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by peppercorn at 8:59 PM on January 20, 2023 [1 favorite]
I believe the downloadable version of TurboTax will let you file previous-year taxes.
TaxSlayer (reasonably well-reviewed despite the goofy name) also says they do previous year returns.
posted by mskyle at 6:05 AM on January 21, 2023
TaxSlayer (reasonably well-reviewed despite the goofy name) also says they do previous year returns.
posted by mskyle at 6:05 AM on January 21, 2023
FreeTaxUSA lets you file previous-year returns, but you will need to print it out & mail it in. I find their website easy to use & successfully filed several overdue returns with it a few years ago. Federal is free & state is only $18, but you can usually find a coupon online.
posted by belladonna at 7:04 AM on January 21, 2023
posted by belladonna at 7:04 AM on January 21, 2023
Response by poster: The core of my question was about e-filing a prepared prior year return, preferably remotely.
Here's what I found based on investigating your collective suggestions:
Any professional tax preparer who does more than a handful of returns a year should have access to the IRS 'Modernized e-File Program.' An informal sampling of local providers revealed surprisingly large fees and required retainer-deposits ($80-$300) for even the simplest, one-off, ready-to-go filing (YMMV.)
Many tax web/software offerings do prior-year tax but none I found offer prior year e-file. And at least two services I checked out (including TaxSlayer) did not confirm the lack of prior-year e-filing capability until after you have entered all your IRS-required personal info.
Most VITA providers are equipped to do prior year e-file, and it's free if you qualify. But access is very slow and limited; for example, locally it's one volunteer sitting at the local community center for 3 hours a week (and booked up solid), and online, it's websites like https://www.getyourrefund.org that seem to work like they are the California unemployment hotline (the CA EDD hotline was widely reviled because you have to go through a long voice menu tree gauntlet before it finally rejects you, and you must retry like this dozens upon dozens of times to get through.) If you can get through, getyourreturn claims to offer videoconferencing/online-only interaction like I was asking about.
Thanks to all for your help.
posted by zaixfeep at 1:23 AM on February 10, 2023
Here's what I found based on investigating your collective suggestions:
Any professional tax preparer who does more than a handful of returns a year should have access to the IRS 'Modernized e-File Program.' An informal sampling of local providers revealed surprisingly large fees and required retainer-deposits ($80-$300) for even the simplest, one-off, ready-to-go filing (YMMV.)
Many tax web/software offerings do prior-year tax but none I found offer prior year e-file. And at least two services I checked out (including TaxSlayer) did not confirm the lack of prior-year e-filing capability until after you have entered all your IRS-required personal info.
Most VITA providers are equipped to do prior year e-file, and it's free if you qualify. But access is very slow and limited; for example, locally it's one volunteer sitting at the local community center for 3 hours a week (and booked up solid), and online, it's websites like https://www.getyourrefund.org that seem to work like they are the California unemployment hotline (the CA EDD hotline was widely reviled because you have to go through a long voice menu tree gauntlet before it finally rejects you, and you must retry like this dozens upon dozens of times to get through.) If you can get through, getyourreturn claims to offer videoconferencing/online-only interaction like I was asking about.
Thanks to all for your help.
posted by zaixfeep at 1:23 AM on February 10, 2023
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by BlahLaLa at 4:04 PM on January 20, 2023 [1 favorite]