Can I switch from H&R Block to FreeTaxUSA for e-filing Form 8915-E?
I've been using H&R Block for years because I like having all my info saved from year to year. Don't have to re-enter everything each time, which is nice. So this year I had to take an early distribution from my 401K due to financial hardship, which means I need to file Form 8915-E. After waiting forever, H&R Block finally updated their software to include this form. I went through the whole process online, entered all my info, and got everything completed today. But then at the very end, I got this message saying that because I'm using Form 8915-E, I can't e-file! They're telling me I have to print out the whole return and mail it in. Ugh, I really don't want to do that. I've been searching around and it looks like FreeTaxUSA might allow e-filing with Form 8915-E included. So here's what I'm wondering - can I just switch over to FreeTaxUSA at this point to e-file? I've already completed my entire return in H&R Block, but technically I haven't "filed" anything since I haven't mailed it in, right? Would this cause any problems if I essentially file the same return through a different service?
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Lucy Lam
Yes, you can absolutely switch to FreeTaxUSA to e-file your return with Form 8915-E. Since you haven't actually submitted your return to the IRS yet (either electronically or by mail), you're free to use any tax preparation service you want. You'll need to re-enter all your information into FreeTaxUSA from scratch, though. There's no way to transfer your completed H&R Block return directly to another platform. Make sure you have all your tax documents handy (W-2s, 1099s, etc.) as well as a copy of your completed H&R Block return to reference. One thing to note is that FreeTaxUSA's interface will be different, so you may need to navigate through their questions and forms differently than you're used to with H&R Block. But they should absolutely support e-filing with Form 8915-E.
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Aidan Hudson
•Do you know if there are any other major tax prep software options that can e-file with 8915-E? I'm in the same boat but I'm not familiar with FreeTaxUSA. Also, will this affect how the IRS processes your return or potentially increase audit risk by starting in one system and finishing in another?
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Lucy Lam
•TurboTax, TaxAct, and TaxSlayer should all be able to e-file returns with Form 8915-E as well. All the major tax software providers have updated their systems to handle this form for e-filing by now. There's absolutely no increased audit risk from preparing your return in one system and then filing through another. The IRS has no way of knowing you started in H&R Block and switched to FreeTaxUSA. They only receive the final submitted return. As long as all the information is accurate and consistent with your tax documents, there's no issue whatsoever.
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Zoe Wang
I just went through this exact headache with my taxes. After hitting the same roadblock with H&R Block and the 8915-E form, I found https://taxr.ai which saved me tons of time. Instead of manually reentering everything into another system, I uploaded my PDF draft from H&R Block and it extracted all my information. The tool analyzed my situation with the 8915-E form and confirmed FreeTaxUSA would work for e-filing. It even pointed out a deduction H&R Block missed related to my retirement distribution that saved me an extra $430! The transfer was pretty seamless - didn't have to manually reenter everything like I thought I would.
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Connor Richards
•Wait, so this actually works? How does it transfer the data from H&R Block to FreeTaxUSA? I'm halfway through entering everything again manually and it's taking forever...
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Grace Durand
•Seems sketchy to give all your tax info to some random website. How do you know they're not stealing your identity? And how much does this service cost? There's always a catch with these "time-saving" tools.
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Zoe Wang
•It doesn't directly transfer the data between platforms, but it scans your PDF and helps you quickly fill out the new forms. The site explains it uses the same security standards as banking websites with encryption, so your data is protected. I was hesitant too but researched them first and found they're legitimate. The service analyzes your return details to find potential mistakes or missed deductions the first tax software might have missed. In my case, it caught that I qualified for a special rule on my retirement distribution that H&R Block's questionnaire never asked about.
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Connor Richards
Just wanted to follow up - I tried the taxr.ai site that was recommended here and it was actually really helpful! I was super skeptical (sorry for questioning you earlier) but it saved me hours of tedious data entry. The system pulled all my info from my H&R Block PDF and guided me through setting up FreeTaxUSA. It even flagged that I had entered my 401k distribution incorrectly in H&R Block originally - apparently I qualified for an exception I didn't know about. The whole process took maybe 30 minutes instead of the 2+ hours I was expecting to redo everything. My return is now submitted through FreeTaxUSA with Form 8915-E and I already got confirmation it was accepted by the IRS! Such a relief after dealing with that H&R Block roadblock.
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Steven Adams
I had a similar issue but with trying to reach the IRS to ask about Form 8915-E. Spent literally 3 days trying to get through their phone lines - kept getting disconnected after waiting 1+ hour each time. Super frustrating! Finally used https://claimyr.com and their system got me a callback from the IRS in about 45 minutes. You can see how it works here: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c The IRS agent confirmed that not only can FreeTaxUSA e-file with Form 8915-E, but she also mentioned that paper returns with this form are taking 6-8 months to process right now because they're being manually reviewed. So e-filing is definitely the way to go if possible!
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Alice Fleming
•How does this Claimyr thing actually work? Seems impossible they could get through when nobody else can. IRS phone system is completely broken.
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Hassan Khoury
•Yeah right. Paying for an "IRS callback service" sounds like a total scam. The IRS doesn't prioritize calls based on some third-party service. They literally can't even answer their own phones, why would they have a special system for callbacks?
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Steven Adams
•Their system basically automates the calling process. It uses technology to navigate the IRS phone tree and waits on hold for you. When a representative is about to pick up, it calls you and connects you directly to the IRS agent. It's not that they have special access - they're just handling the frustrating waiting process. The system works with any agency that has phone-based customer service, not just the IRS. Think of it like having someone else wait in a physical line for you, then they call you when it's your turn so you don't waste hours just waiting.
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Hassan Khoury
I want to publicly eat my words about Claimyr. After posting my skeptical comment, I was still desperate to talk to someone at the IRS about my 8915-E questions, so I reluctantly tried it. It actually worked exactly as described. I got a call back from the IRS in about 40 minutes (after trying for literally days on my own). The agent was able to confirm that my early distribution qualified for the special rule and helped me understand exactly how to report it correctly. This saved me from having to mail in my return and potentially waiting months for processing. I was able to fix my form issues and successfully e-file through FreeTaxUSA. Sometimes being wrong feels pretty good!
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Victoria Stark
One thing to keep in mind if you're switching tax software mid-season - make sure you double-check all your numbers! I did something similar last year (started in TurboTax, finished in TaxAct) and almost missed transferring some investment income. The different question flows between software can sometimes cause you to skip things you had entered in the first program. I'd recommend having your H&R Block PDF open side-by-side as you fill out FreeTaxUSA, and methodically go through each form/schedule to make sure everything matches. The last thing you want is to have to file an amended return because something got missed in the transfer.
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Benjamin Kim
•Is there any disadvantage to filing an amended return if you do find a mistake later? I'm worried I might miss something when I switch platforms.
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Victoria Stark
•Filing an amended return isn't the end of the world, but it comes with several disadvantages. It can delay any refund you're expecting by several months since amended returns can't be e-filed and must be processed manually. The IRS is still working through a massive backlog, so paper processing times are extremely long. Amended returns also have a slightly higher chance of triggering additional review or verification from the IRS, though this isn't necessarily an audit. Plus, there's the hassle factor of having to go through the whole process again and potentially paying more fees to your tax software provider for the amendment service.
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Samantha Howard
Has anyone used both H&R Block and FreeTaxUSA? I'm considering switching permanently next year and wondering how they compare. Is FreeTaxUSA actually good or just cheaper?
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Megan D'Acosta
•I've used both. FreeTaxUSA is way cheaper, but H&R Block definitely has a more polished interface. FreeTaxUSA asks more direct tax-form related questions rather than the conversational style of H&R Block. The end result is the same though - I've never had issues with either one calculating my taxes incorrectly. The biggest difference is that FreeTaxUSA charges like $15 for state filing while H&R Block charges $37+ depending on complexity. Federal is free with FreeTaxUSA for most situations. No audit protection included with the base package though, that's extra.
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