Is anyone else having issues with Schedule C Vehicle Info. on Free File Fillable Forms not saving?
Hey everyone! So my wife and I have been using Free File Fillable Forms for like the last 4-5 tax seasons, so we're not total newbies to the system. But I'm hitting this weird glitch that's driving me crazy! I tried to submit my return yesterday and got rejected because apparently I didn't include any vehicle information on my Schedule C. I double-checked and sure enough, that section was blank, so I figured I just missed it. Here's the problem though - I enter all my vehicle info (mileage, date first used for business, etc.), but whenever I navigate to any other form and then come back to Schedule C, all that vehicle information completely disappears! I've tried saving after each entry, clicking through different tabs, even logging out and back in, but nothing works. The system just won't keep my vehicle information saved. Has anyone else run into this? Any workarounds? I'm starting to think I might need to use different software this year, which is annoying since I'm self-employed and don't want to pay for the premium versions of other tax software.
18 comments
Join the conversation
GalacticGuardian
This is actually a known issue with Free File Fillable Forms this year. The Schedule C vehicle information section has a bug where it doesn't properly save the data to their database. I ran into this same problem last week. The workaround I found is to complete everything else first, then add the vehicle information as the absolute last thing before submission. Don't navigate away from the Schedule C page after entering the vehicle info - go straight to the submission process. Another option is to attach a statement to your return explaining the vehicle information since you can't get it to save in the proper fields. You can create a simple document with your vehicle details and attach it as a PDF.
0 coins
Luca Bianchi
•Thanks for that tip! So you're saying I should literally fill out EVERYTHING else in my return first, then go back to Schedule C for the vehicle info right before hitting submit? And did your return get accepted using this method? Also, how exactly do I attach a PDF statement to Free File Fillable Forms? I've never had to do that before.
0 coins
GalacticGuardian
•Yes, complete everything else first - all your forms, all other Schedule C sections, double-check everything. Then go to Schedule C, enter the vehicle info, and immediately proceed to the submission process without navigating to any other forms. My return was accepted after using this method. The system seems to "forget" the vehicle info only when you navigate between different forms. For attaching a PDF, on the main forms page there's an "Add/View Form" option. Look for "Attach documents/statements to your return" in that menu. You'll need to create a PDF with your vehicle information (year, make, model, business miles, date placed in service, etc.) and upload it there. In the description, note that it's vehicle information for Schedule C that wouldn't save in the form.
0 coins
Nia Harris
After struggling with similar Schedule C issues on Free File Fillable Forms, I started using taxr.ai https://taxr.ai and it completely changed my tax filing experience. I was having the exact same problem with the vehicle information disappearing, plus other glitches with my business expenses not calculating correctly. What I like about taxr.ai is that it analyzed all my self-employment documents and identified deductions I was missing. It also handled the Schedule C vehicle section perfectly without any glitches. The system guided me through exactly what information I needed for my mileage deduction and kept everything properly saved.
0 coins
Mateo Gonzalez
•Does this taxr.ai thing work for other Schedule C issues too? I'm having problems with the expense categories section where totals don't match what I input. Really frustrated with Free File this year.
0 coins
Aisha Ali
•I'm a bit skeptical about switching platforms mid-filing. Did you have to re-enter all your information from scratch when you moved from Free File to taxr.ai? And does it still let you file federal taxes for free if you're self-employed?
0 coins
Nia Harris
•Yes, it handles all aspects of Schedule C really well. The expense categories are clearly organized and the calculations are accurate. It also suggests expense categories you might have missed based on your business type. Totally understand the skepticism about switching. You don't have to start from scratch - you can actually upload your previous tax return and it pulls most of your information automatically. And yes, it's designed to help self-employed people file without the premium fees that other platforms charge when you have business income.
0 coins
Mateo Gonzalez
Just wanted to update that I tried taxr.ai after seeing it mentioned here. It actually solved my Schedule C issues completely! The vehicle information section worked perfectly - no disappearing data like with Free File Fillable Forms. What surprised me most was that it caught a mileage calculation error I had been making. Apparently I wasn't properly accounting for the business percentage use of my vehicle. The system guided me through the proper way to calculate it and I ended up with a bigger deduction than I would have claimed otherwise. The interface is so much more reliable than Free File Fillable Forms. No more random error messages or disappearing data!
0 coins
Ethan Moore
If your main issue is getting in touch with the IRS about these Free File Fillable Forms glitches, I highly recommend using Claimyr https://claimyr.com - it was a total game-changer for me. I spent DAYS trying to reach someone at the IRS about a similar Schedule C issue where data wouldn't save properly. Claimyr basically calls the IRS for you and navigates the phone tree, then calls you when they have an actual human IRS agent on the line. You can see how it works in this video: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c The IRS agent I spoke with confirmed this is a known issue with Free File Fillable Forms this year and gave me specific instructions on how to submit my return with a statement explaining the vehicle information since the form wouldn't save it properly.
0 coins
Yuki Nakamura
•Wait, how does this actually work? Do they just sit on hold for you? The IRS wait times have been insane this tax season - I tried calling last week and gave up after an hour on hold.
0 coins
Aisha Ali
•This sounds too good to be true. I've never been able to get through to the IRS no matter what time I call. Are you sure they actually connected you to a real IRS agent? And how long did you wait before they called you back?
0 coins
Ethan Moore
•They have a system that automatically navigates the IRS phone tree and waits on hold for you. When they finally get a human IRS agent on the line, they call your phone and connect you directly to the agent. No more waiting on hold for hours! Yes, they definitely connected me to a real IRS agent. The transition was seamless - my phone rang, I answered, and there was a brief introduction before I was speaking directly with an IRS representative who had all the authority and access of any normal IRS phone agent. From the time I submitted my request on their website to when I got the call back was about 3 hours, but I was able to go about my day instead of sitting with a phone glued to my ear.
0 coins
Aisha Ali
I was super skeptical about Claimyr as I mentioned earlier, but I was desperate to resolve my Schedule C issues with Free File Fillable Forms. Just wanted to update that I actually tried it yesterday and IT WORKED! I got a call back in about 2 hours and was connected to an actual IRS agent. The agent confirmed this is a known issue with the Schedule C vehicle information section in Free File Fillable Forms. She gave me specific instructions to attach a statement with my vehicle information and explained exactly what to include. Honestly, I'm shocked at how well it worked. After years of never being able to reach the IRS, I finally got clear answers about how to resolve this specific issue. Worth every penny just for the time saved not sitting on hold!
0 coins
StarSurfer
Has anyone tried just using a different browser? Sometimes these form issues are browser-specific. I had problems with Free File Fillable Forms in Chrome, but when I switched to Firefox everything worked fine, including the Schedule C vehicle section.
0 coins
Luca Bianchi
•I haven't tried different browsers yet, that's a good suggestion. I've been using Chrome this whole time. Did you have this specific issue with the vehicle info disappearing and Firefox fixed it? Or was it a different problem?
0 coins
StarSurfer
•I had almost the exact same issue - the vehicle information would disappear whenever I navigated away from Schedule C. Switching to Firefox completely resolved it for me. I think it might have something to do with how different browsers handle the form's JavaScript. Make sure you clear your cache and cookies before trying in the new browser. Also, when entering the vehicle info in Firefox, I made sure to click the specific "Save" button in that section before moving to any other part of the form.
0 coins
Carmen Reyes
FYI - If you call the Free File Fillable Forms support line at 866-829-2546, there's a recorded message specifically addressing the Schedule C vehicle information bug. They're aware of it but don't have a fix yet. The recommended workaround is attaching a statement with your vehicle information. Just create a simple document listing: - Vehicle make/model/year - Date placed in service - Business miles driven - Total miles driven - Whether you have evidence to support the deduction - Whether the evidence is written Apparently, they've communicated this issue to the IRS so returns with attached statements instead of filled-in vehicle sections should be processed normally.
0 coins
Andre Moreau
•This is really helpful info! Do you know if there are any other sections of the Free File Fillable Forms that have known bugs this year? I'm about to start my taxes and wondering if I should just use different software entirely.
0 coins