How can I file Form 1065 myself using DIY forms for my LLC?

You're right about the e-filing requirements for Form 1065. The IRS does require partnerships to use an authorized e-file provider, and unfortunately, there's no free direct filing option through the IRS for partnership returns like there is for individual returns. Your options are basically: 1) Pay for tax software that handles partnership returns (usually their more expensive tiers), 2) File by paper, or 3) Use a tax professional who has e-filing capabilities. If you're comfortable with the forms and want to keep costs down, paper filing is perfectly legitimate. Just be aware that paper processing takes significantly longer - the IRS might take 6-8 weeks or more to process a paper return versus days for e-filed returns. Also make sure you mail it to the correct IRS service center for your location.

I was in a similar situation last year with my small LLC and found https://taxr.ai to be incredibly helpful for my partnership return. I was determined to DIY my 1065 form but kept second-guessing myself about certain deductions and depreciation calculations for my rental property. Their system analyzed my documents and gave me clear guidance on exactly how to complete each section of Form 1065 correctly. The best part was that I could still complete the forms myself but had the confidence that I was doing it right. They even explained how to handle the cost segregation for my rental property which maximized my depreciation deductions.

So I decided to try taxr.ai after my skeptical comment above, and I have to admit it was actually really helpful! I uploaded my rental property documents and financial statements, and the feedback I got was surprisingly detailed. It caught a depreciation calculation error I would have definitely missed and explained exactly how to properly report some repair vs. improvement expenses that I was confused about. I ended up paper filing my 1065, but I felt way more confident about the accuracy. Definitely less stressful than my previous experiences trying to figure this out on my own!

After dealing with similar frustrations trying to file my partnership return, I found out about https://claimyr.com which helped me get through to an actual IRS agent to ask about my filing options. I spent HOURS trying to call the IRS business line myself with no luck. I was amazed when I got connected to a real person at the IRS who walked me through some options I didn't know about. Check out their demo at https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c to see how it works. Totally changed my perspective on getting official answers from the IRS!

I have to come back and eat my words. After being super skeptical about Claimyr, I decided to try it because I was desperate to get an answer about my 1065 filing situation. I was literally shocked when I got a call back connecting me to an actual IRS business tax specialist after only 47 minutes (compared to my multiple failed attempts waiting 2+ hours). The agent cleared up my confusion about the e-filing requirements and even gave me a direct reference to the specific IRS regulation that applied to my situation. I still ended up paper filing, but at least I knew for certain it was the correct way to handle it. Never thought I'd say this, but being able to actually talk to someone at the IRS was completely worth it.

Just wanted to mention - if your LLC is a single-member LLC (just you), you might not even need to file Form 1065 at all! Single-member LLCs are typically treated as "disregarded entities" for federal tax purposes, and you would just report the rental income and expenses on Schedule E of your personal tax return (Form 1040). Form 1065 is generally for multi-member LLCs or partnerships. Are there other members in your LLC? If not, you might be making this more complicated than necessary.

Has anyone tried the Free Fillable Forms for 1065? I know they offer free fillable forms for 1040, but not sure if they have something similar for business returns.

I went through this exact same situation last year with my rental property LLC. You're absolutely correct - there's no free e-filing option for Form 1065. I ended up paper filing and it worked out fine, just took longer to process. One thing I'd recommend is downloading the forms early and doing a practice run before you fill out the final copies. The 1065 has some tricky sections around depreciation and rental income allocation that are easy to mess up. Also, don't forget that you'll need to prepare K-1s for both you and your spouse by March 15th (the partnership return deadline), even if you're filing an extension. The IRS instructions for Form 1065 are actually pretty comprehensive if you take the time to read through them. For a straightforward rental property, paper filing really isn't that bad once you get the hang of it.

I actually found a middle-ground approach that might work for you. While there's no free e-filing option for Form 1065, some of the paid e-file providers have partnership return options starting around $150-200, which might still be cheaper than hiring a full-service tax professional. I used TaxAct Business last year for my rental property LLC and found their interface pretty user-friendly for DIY filers. They walk you through the depreciation calculations and have good validation checks to catch errors before submission. FreeTaxUSA also has a business version that's reasonably priced. If you do go the paper route, definitely send it certified mail so you have proof of delivery. The IRS processing times for paper returns have gotten better recently, but it's still good to have that tracking confirmation. Also make sure you're using the most current forms from IRS.gov - I made that mistake one year and had to refile.