Hedgy

Which software suite is handling the 8938 form best for 2012?

Last year H & R Block at Home (if I recall correctly) didn't allow e-filing with Form 8938.

Turbotax (I deduced from reading this forum) handled it but with some problem relating to the filing.

Does anyone have experience of these packages yet for this tax season in respect of the 8938 form?

MMcD

I used Turbo Tax last year. Because I had to file form 8938 Turbo Tax was unable to accept e-filing of my returns. However I didn't see that as a problem. Simply printed out the returns and dropped them off at local post office. Done.
I've already downloaded TurboTax 2012 - but haven't yet really gotten into filling in the forms - so don't yet know whether e-filing will be possible - but don't really care as I find the program itself so good.

robin1234

I used TurboTax last year and was able to efile, because I used the Turbotax download version rather than the web version. Their form 8938 was NOT ready for prime time, though, it was problematic and really half-assed. What I really hated about TurboTax was that it forced you to complete the FBAR form, all additional data entry, it didn't use the same data entry to generate 8938 and FBAR. This was annoying to me as I'd alreay done my FBAR (I always do it first week of February, just to get it out of the way.)

I personally prefer to do my tax the old fashioned way, paper & pencil, and I tend to use Turbotax once every five or six years, just to check my filing methodology. So I used TurboTax for 2006 and 2011. Back to paper & pencil for me this year.

MMcD

just proves....different strokes
different folks.......which is what makes relying on forum advice problematic for the OP
I too - used the download version and NOT the web version. And even waited till beginning of April before printing it all out - in case a software update (which they continually download through the passing weeks) enabled e-filing.
It never did (maybe because I use the Mac version ) - but as I said before - in the end it didn't really matter to me.
As for data entry for FBar and 8898 - again the OP might use TT and agree with you or use it and (like me) not be bothered at all. I'm only writing this so they see that there's not a hard and fast ansawer to their question.
We're both right and we're both wrong

Giantaxe

I used the web version last year and was able to web file with Form 8938. But only after a long discussion with Turbotax about how to get it to spit out that form correctly. And yes the support for that form really was half-assed in the web version as well. I am pretty sure though that it correctly filled out the FBAR form for me. I have started doing my 2012 taxes with the web version of Turbotax. The Form 8938 support seems a little more integrated, but is still imperfect. And as I've yet to get as far as it generating my tax return, I can't vouch for the results it produces.

jeffreyhy

Aside: I also use a Mac, with Windows installed for the sole purpose of running Quickin and TurboTax. Intuit's Mac products are sub-par.

Now back to our regularly scheduled program.

Regards, JEff

Hedgy

OP here ... Please post back with your experience when you have got further along the process. I'll end up downloading either TT or H&R but will sit on the fence for a while hoping to hear how others fare with the 2012 versions of these apps.

Last year I hand-crafted my own 8938 Continuation Sheet - I hope that is something the commercial packages take care of this year.

Giantaxe

I've yet to file, but the online version of Turbo Tax did indeed correctly generate Form 8938 for multiple accounts as well as correct FBAR forms.

pooks

Sigh - I e-filed last year via an accountant - have just been told I can't this year because I have more than two of these wretched forms - so I'd definitely be interested to know how everyone else goes on with this!

Giantaxe

I've now e-filed and had my federal return accepted by the IRS.

pooks

with more than two 8938s???

rew1000

Turbotax for Mac, efiled with 6 copies of 8938 - return accepted and refund received...

Switched from online to desktop last year because of this form, and I'm a convert - the forms view in the desktop version is very helpful.

MMcD

Is anyone running into this issue:
1099-Rs aren't issued by UK (nor are W2s)
Turbo Tax generates Form 4852 as a Substitute. This year it won't accept e-filing (for me) because of these Forms 4852.
If I try deleting them Turbo Tax then deletes all the related income which I MUST report.
I can't figure out how to report income from UK State Pension plus 3 annuities without that form being generated for each.
Is anyone else encountering this? If so, how did you go about reporting the UK income

By the way - The IRS doesn't want the Form 4852. It's TT software that's generating it.....

Hedgy

Another thumbs up for TurboTax (Deluxe, Windows desktop version). My e-file has been accepted by the IRS with multiple 8938 forms.