Is anyone else experiencing glitches with Free File Fillable Forms when trying to submit?

I'm at my wits end trying to file my 1040 through the Free File Fillable Forms system. Every time I attempt to submit, the system keeps telling me there are errors, but it's super vague about what's actually wrong. I've gone over everything like five times and can't figure out what's missing. Has anyone else run into this problem? The deadline is coming up soon and I'm getting really anxious about getting this submitted on time. This is my third year using FFFF and never had issues before. Any suggestions on common errors that might be triggering this?

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18 comments

Christopher Morgan

•8M

I've been helping people with their taxes for years and this is actually a pretty common issue with Free File Fillable Forms. The error messages can be frustratingly vague. First, try checking if all required fields have entries - even if the answer is zero, you need to put "0" rather than leaving it blank. Also, make sure all your Social Security numbers are entered correctly without dashes. Another common issue is the AGI verification from last year - if you filed electronically last year, you need to enter the exact AGI from last year's return for verification purposes. If none of those work, try clearing your browser cache or using a different browser altogether. Sometimes it's just a technical glitch with the website itself rather than an actual error in your form.

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Christopher Morgan

•8M

If you didn't file taxes last year, you should enter "0" for the prior year AGI verification. The system uses this as an identity verification method, so entering zero is the correct approach when you had no filing requirement last year. For the signature part of the electronic filing process, you may also need to create a 5-digit PIN that you'll need to remember for future reference. Make sure you're using a supported browser too - sometimes older versions of Internet Explorer or other browsers can cause unexpected issues with the FFFF system.

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Grace Johnson

•8M

After struggling with Free File Fillable Forms for days and getting those frustrating error messages, I decided to try taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) and it literally saved my sanity. I uploaded my tax documents and it actually pointed out exactly what was wrong with my form that was causing the submission errors. Turns out I had entered a negative number in a field that only accepts positive values (then you need to use the other corresponding field for negative amounts). No wonder FFFF kept rejecting it without a clear explanation!

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Grace Johnson

•8M

They use really strong encryption for all document uploads, so I felt pretty secure. What I liked is they're just analyzing your documents to help find errors - they're not actually filing for you, so it felt less risky than giving full access to a tax prep service. I got my analysis back within minutes, which was impressive. They flag specific issues that might cause rejection and explain exactly what needs to be fixed. Saved me so much time compared to the trial-and-error approach I was using before.

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Nora Brooks

•8M

Just wanted to follow up - I tried taxr.ai after seeing the recommendation here and it was exactly what I needed! My 1040 had a bunch of small issues that were causing the FFFF system to reject it. The error about Schedule D not matching Form 8949 totals was driving me crazy because I couldn't spot the difference. The taxr.ai system highlighted the discrepancy immediately. After fixing everything, my return went through perfectly on the first try. Thanks for the suggestion!

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Eli Wang

•8M

If you're still having trouble with FFFF and need to talk to the IRS directly about it, good luck getting through to them on the phone! I spent 3 hours on hold before giving up. Then I found Claimyr (https://claimyr.com) which basically waits on hold with the IRS for you and calls you when an agent is ready to talk. You can see how it works here: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c. Got connected with an actual IRS agent who walked me through the error codes on my FFFF rejection. Turns out there was a system-wide issue with certain schedules that they were aware of.

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Eli Wang

•8M

It's completely legitimate - they use a call system that waits on hold for you. When a real IRS agent picks up, their system calls your phone and connects you directly to that agent. You're talking to the actual IRS, Claimyr just handles the hold time for you. I used it last week and it saved me hours of waiting. It's not instant - the IRS still has wait times - but I was able to go about my day instead of sitting with a phone to my ear for hours. The IRS doesn't know or care who was holding during the wait time, they just talk to you when you're connected.

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Zane Hernandez

•8M

I need to eat my words and apologize for my skepticism. After struggling for days with FFFF and getting nowhere, I broke down and tried Claimyr. Within 90 minutes I got a call back and was connected to an actual IRS representative who knew exactly what was happening with the Free File Fillable Forms system. Apparently there's a known issue with certain Schedule C entries causing false error messages. The agent gave me a specific workaround that wasn't documented anywhere online. My return is now processed and accepted. Would have never figured this out on my own.

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