Free Fillable Forms?

[oswin]

I do our taxes myself, and last year we filed a paper return. I was hoping to e-file this year, but it looks like we can't use the Free Fillable Forms that they supply. For one extremely stupid reason. You can't use the Free Fillable Forms is you need to have any attachments. And because Form 2441 (Child and Dependent Care Expenses) requires that you have an attachment with info on any extra qualifying persons beyond 2, we have an attachment (we paid for childcare for 3 children). I'm vaguely considering just leaving child 3 off of the form, because the money paid for his care doesn't end up affecting the math in any way, but I'd have to change the values on how much was paid to each provider and it just seems slightly too sketchy to fudge. So unless anyone has any better ideas, it looks like I have to file a paper return again. Which sucks, because we're getting a large refund (due to some overzealous withholdings).

[puppylove64]

Can you max out the total allowable childcare expense with just two children? It isn’t sketchy to withhold one child’s payments. People forget stuff all the time. Deductions is not something that they are going to question because it doesn’t match your transcript. As long as it doesn’t hurt your deductions dollar wise, I would leave one kid off.

[oswin]

Feb 19, 2019 11:25:44 GMT -5 puppylove64 said:

Can you max out the total allowable childcare expense with just two children? It isn’t sketchy to withhold one child’s payments. People forget stuff all the time. Deductions is not something that they are going to question because it doesn’t match your transcript. As long as it doesn’t hurt your deductions dollar wise, I would leave one kid off.

Yeah, I can max out with just two kids. It just feels weird to leave it off.

[oswin]

Update: I was actually able to file free fillable forms, they had a page for extra kids for 2441 after all.