How do you fill out your U.S. taxes with the 源泉徴収票 , it doesn't seem to have the Box - b Employer ID Number (EIN) or Federal ID.

[hoppy]

I have spent days maybe weeks worth of hours of researching and trying to contact the IRS and my taxes are so simple... I made hardly anything, but between trying to figure out how to fill it in, and being told by the IRS number the answer is on the website but it's not, and the differences between the way the papers here are and there... it's difficult.

I've gone years without doing my taxes, every year I spent hours/days trying to figure it out and every year I rage quit. I'm trying to get them squared away now again... any advice is appreciated. I'm using Turbo tax...

Thank you.

EDIT: One more question. You know how usually you get a job from April 1 to March 31, but you get your 源泉徴収票 from your employer for January 1 - December 31. I have changed jobs a few times over the 8 years I've lived here. From April 1, 2019 - March 31, 2020 I had a job, but only got (I think I have to check) a 源泉徴収票 for 2019. What about those 3 months from January 1, 2020 - March 31, 2020 since I didn't have another job after that during that year. I was on unemployment for 5 months... which is another can of worms I don't understand for taxes abroad.

EDIT 2: As for the Unemployment taxes. Turbo tax asks for a 1099-G, then asks for "Payer's federal ID number" which it says is "You can find your payer's federal ID number (or Payer's TIN) on your Form 1099-G, usually near your payer's contact information."

My sheet doesn't have such a number, and the number that looks like it might be is too long for it. It knows I live in Japan, so why is it asking me for some number which seems to be for the U.S.?

It's just so disheartening... I really hate it...

 

[mhall1989]

@hoppy I know lots of people balk at this idea, but if it causes so much stress, and your situation isnt going to change much year-to-year, just pay someone to fill them out for you one time, then every year after that copy and paste the relevant info based on what they did. We’re self employed so it was closer to 500usd for ours, but basic situations can be 2-300. There’s a bunch of them, I used greenback tax services for 2019, was happy, then just sorta copied what my accountant did for this past year. So totally worth it.

 

[prhasda]

@mhall1989 This is the way. TurboTax is not your friend

 

[mototothemax]

@hoppy Are you trying to stick this in the spot for W2 income? Assuming you qualify, look at form 2555.

 

[hoppy]

@mototothemax I'm not sure. The Turbo Tax asks me for my W-2 EIN number, and as far as I know 源泉徴収票 is the W-2 in Japan and I see no such number there.

Thank you

 

[onthemoon]

@hoppy I use HR Block software so I don’t know about TT, but the Japanese income doesn’t go in the place where they ask for a W2. HR Block asks if I have other income. This is where I input interest, stock profits and my Japanese income

 

[ethzz]

@hoppy Also: https://www.reddit.com/r/USExpatTaxes/

 

[ethzz]

@hoppy • I have almost never, and certainly never in the last decade or so, been able to call and talk to the IRS. they don't have the time/manpower to talk to people like you or me. Budget cuts, tax changes, then pandemic, having to do stimulus checks--I'm actually sort of surprised that there are even phone numbers listed (it's a charade/illusion).

• So much for the illusion that TT 'makes it easy for you', eh? Follow the other excellent suggestion to get a single year done by a preparer and then use that as a model. The only catch with this is trump's tax law changes mean you might need a model for (a) before that change, and (b) another for after it.

Or use the streamlined filing.

Whatever you do, don't think that buying a paid level TT package is going to solve the misunderstanding you describe in your initial post here. Throwing $50-$75 at a TT purchase will not put you on the right track.

 

[kristhuy]

@ethzz

they don't have the time/manpower to talk to people like you or me.

Just today I was reading about this company. The IRS apparently doesn't prioritize calls based on who is calling (e.g., fancy tax lawyer vs. low-earning regular joe), so a private company decided to take it upon themselves to ensure that only rich people can access the IRS by phone.

 

[zeckycarter16]

@kristhuy According to neoliberal economic theory, this is a shining example of the way things should be. /s

 

[hatuyen0404]

@hoppy turbo tax sucks balls. Do it on paper, or use the IRS's e-filing system.

I just convert the yen to dollars using the exchange rate on the IRS webpage and plug that in as income. Like another user said you might be (probably are) eligible for the earned income exclusion or other exclusions depending on your income.