Filing Virginia income taxes for free. What are the recommendations?

[mahatmakanejeeves]

I filed my federal income tax return last week. It didn't cost me anything to file, as I used the free fillable tax forms at the IRS.gov website.

I was going to file my Virginia income tax return today or tomorrow. So I go to the website, https://www.tax.virginia.gov/individual-income-tax-filing , where I see:

Free Fillable Forms: The software provider that previously supported our free fillable forms no longer offers them for individual income tax filing. Please consider one of our other filing options for your 2021 Virginia income tax return.

File with approved tax preparation software
If you don't qualify for free online filing options, you can still file your return electronically with the help of commercial tax preparation software. View approved software options.

There's a list.

Does anyone here have any advice on which service to use, or should I bite the bullet and file on paper?

[Doc Sportello]

1. I used FreeTaxUSA

Often the sites that offer free Federal returns charge for a state return. That site did not, but Virginia may differ or your filing status may differ and they charge. Also did it while filing Federal but they may not allow since you already filed - or they may. Anyway I liked FreeTaxUSA.

[mahatmakanejeeves]

4. That's how they make their money, is on the state forms. NT

[Yonnie3]

2. I gave up on electronic filing in Virginia

After considering the options for my Federal return I used the free fillable forms. There is no option to file state returns at that site. I've not found any free options for Virginia without using a site's federal filing.

I've downloaded the PDF forms from the Virginia tax site and it took less than an hour to fill them out. I'll print out and check them this weekend and then mail them in. I'm going to pay by check with the return so I know they got it.

[mahatmakanejeeves]

3. I think I'm going to do what you did.

Vanguard changed its consolidated statement this year. I've had to rework my Excel spreadsheet to account for those changes. Now that I have all that done, all I have to do is enter the numbers in the cells and let Excel do all the work. Transfer the numbers to the Form 760, checking carefully to make sure that I've done that correctly, and I'm done.

I won't have it ready today, but maybe tomorrow or Monday. I know I'm going to owe, so I have no incentive to rush things.

It would be nice if Youngkin could stop wishing everyone a happy whatever Christian occasion it is or congratulating winning basketball teams and kick the Virginia Department of Taxation into letting us file for free online again.

Thanks, everyone.

[Yonnie3]

5. I had to get on them because they hadn't processed 2020 yet

I had asked for 2020 over payment to be credited for 2021 taxes. It turns out I had given them more in estimated taxes that I put on the form. My spread sheet was missing an entry for a payment. They sent a memo saying the excess would be sent to me in a check and that any designated for 2021 would be credited for 2021. They sent the whole darn amount to me and a bit more. Interest I guess, although there is no way to be sure of the amount of interest. It is not enough for a 1099.

My income varies widely because of my investments, so estimated tax is a pain. I now just pay what I owed the prior year to avoid penalties.

I recall filing on the state online system when it was available and it said I owed some change, less than 50 cents. I used rounded amounts for all the entries so I wouldn't owe that if I had filed paper. I set up an ACH payment. I always wondered about that.