how can I do my taxes while out of the country? - TravelPUNK Backpacker College Student Budget Travel Message Boards!

gabbyfont · 04-08-2007, 08:34 PM

Hadn't thought of this, stupidly. Here I am in "Oz," and all my W-2s, etc., are on my desk in my bedroom in California. None of my taxes are filed. Deadline is April 17. My return flight is April 30.

Has anyone had to deal with this before? What am I going to do? They don't send people to jail for this kind of thing, right? *gulp*

**freespiritz** · 04-08-2007, 09:09 PM

Can you file for an extension?

If you have any way of getting your information (can someone scan/email your forms to you?), you could opt to file online (for free too!), which is what I did this year.

**travelpunk** · 04-09-2007, 04:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gabbyfont

Hadn't thought of this, stupidly. Here I am in "Oz," and all my W-2s, etc., are on my desk in my bedroom in California. None of my taxes are filed. Deadline is April 17. My return flight is April 30.

Has anyone had to deal with this before? What am I going to do? They don't send people to jail for this kind of thing, right? *gulp*

No jail. As Freespiritz mentioned, just file for an extension or have your accountant do it. This gives you 6 more months.

Here are details if you are out of town- IRS.gov (about extensions)

If you will be getting money back, you really don't have to worry. If you will be owing money, then after the deadline you will start to accumulate interest on what you owe to the government, unless you file for the extention.

**raoulduke** · 04-09-2007, 04:55 AM

Can you lodge tax claims online in the US?

**Dig** · 04-09-2007, 06:27 AM

If you have a trustworthy friend, you can do them online. Just have somebody read you the pertinent info. Or get an extension.

iomaggio · 04-09-2007, 12:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dig

If you have a trustworthy friend, you can do them online. Just have somebody read you the pertinent info. Or get an extension.

This is true, you don't need to install software anymore since a lot of tax prep packages are web-based now. Taxbrain.com is one. If your taxes are straightforward then you won't have to mail the W-2s, either.

**marc873** · 04-09-2007, 02:51 PM

Taxes

But I did get a decent return this year (travel fundage). As the others said, if you can file online and you don't mind waisting the time go for it. Hopefully they owe you money, and you can just file when you return.

First and foremost, don't let a tax due date make you sweat on your trip!!!!

foofiter · 04-10-2007, 02:58 AM

To file and extension yourself (you can do online or paper) you will need the info off your w2. I had my dad fax mine to me via efax.com and did my taxes, state and federal, online, for free at turbotax.com.

They also file extensions there as well for free if I remember correctly.

Foo

**joe7f** · 04-11-2007, 08:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gabbyfont

Hadn't thought of this, stupidly. Here I am in "Oz," and all my W-2s, etc., are on my desk in my bedroom in California. None of my taxes are filed. Deadline is April 17. My return flight is April 30.

Has anyone had to deal with this before? What am I going to do? They don't send people to jail for this kind of thing, right? *gulp*

If they owe you money because you overpaid throughout the year (applies to most people...rather insidious as it makes people think that they don't "pay taxes") then you can wait. I just filed for 2003 and 2005...which will fund my railpass in Japan along with hostels

--Joey

umtraveler · 04-13-2007, 02:44 PM

If you have all of your info ready. Do it online. I used taxslayer.com Not too hard to figure out and best of all it was free, (for those of us who don't make a lot of money and are under 25).