IRS and Tax Filing Issues

We tried to get everything submitted yesterday, but we kept getting hit with server errors. We actually ended up hearing back from FINRA—they admitted their system went down and they’re currently scrambling to fix the technical glitches. They told us we still have until the end of the day today, April 1st and 2nd, to get those reports filed.

Brian Campbell36 said:Is there any possibility that the IRS will extend the GFI filing deadline until the end of the week, following their usual pattern from previous years?🤔

They extended it to April 6th—it's posted right there on the IRS website.

This is actually my first time attempting to send a GFI online. I've run into a bit of a snag, though—once I reach the step for signing and processing, the button just won't seem to respond to me at all. I suppose this might mean my digital signature isn't set up quite right? It's strange because when I'm dealing with the IRS, I can sign and submit everything without any trouble whatsoever. If anyone has any insight, I'd really appreciate the help.

@Larry Edwards3:

If you're stuck using Internet Explorer, just head over to Tools, then Compatibility View Settings, and add FINRA to the list. Just type in finra.gov, hit ADD, and then give the browser a quick restart. That should do the trick.

So, let me see if I’ve actually wrapped my head around this correctly: if I’m not actually using the eTrade services—say, I'm just dealing with the IRS instead—then there isn't a fee for using the card or the USB stick itself? It's strictly just the cost for issuing the certificate?

George Peterson4 said:@Larry Edwards3:

If you're stuck using Internet Explorer, just head over to Tools, then Compatibility View Settings, and add FINRA to the list. Just type in finra.gov, hit ADD, and then give the browser a quick restart. That should do the trick.

I was getting stuck on this too and couldn't figure out what was broken... Did exactly what you said and now it's working fine. Thanks...👍

Hannah Kern4 said:I was getting stuck on this too and couldn't figure out what was broken... Did exactly what you said and now it's working fine. Thanks...👍

I also have to say how much I appreciate this, because I was running into the very same issue on my end too. :-))

So, I went ahead and submitted my corporate tax return, but I hit a total wall when it came to uploading the attachments. Even though the bottom left corner clearly shows Attachments, the whole thing just refuses to work for me. Has anyone actually managed to successfully attach supporting documents along with their corporate tax filing? According to the FBI, you’re supposed to be able to send them up with the initial return or even follow up later—but how exactly does that work? Does anyone have any clue?

Robin Kern76 said:So, I went ahead and submitted my corporate tax return, but I hit a total wall when it came to uploading the attachments. Even though the bottom left corner clearly shows Attachments, the whole thing just refuses to work for me. Has anyone actually managed to successfully attach supporting documents along with their corporate tax filing? According to the FBI, you’re supposed to be able to send them up with the initial return or even follow up later—but how exactly does that work? Does anyone have any clue?

I haven't filed my own corporate taxes for last year yet, so I can't say for certain if there is a technical glitch occurring right now. However, regarding the attachments—you can only submit those once the main tax return has been sent. The easiest way to handle this is to navigate to your "Sent Returns," locate the specific filing, and click the arrow icon; that should open the dedicated attachments section where you can then upload your files. It would probably be wise to consult the user manual first; it’s quite straightforward, though you should keep in mind there are certain restrictions regarding file sizes and other specifics.

Robin Kern76, thanks so much! 🙂
I finally tracked down what you mentioned—it’s all there. This is actually my first time ever sending over a direct message, so honestly, I'm still figuring out how everything works around here.

I had a quick question for anyone who has been submitting their GFI public disclosures through the e-fine portal lately. When you go back to review the documentation you've already sent off and you happen to open one of those non-standard files, does the actual PDF show up without a signature on the document itself? I was wondering if that's actually how it’s supposed to look, or if maybe I've missed a step somewhere.

Larry Edwards3 said:I had a quick question for anyone who has been submitting their GFI public disclosures through the e-fine portal lately. When you go back to review the documentation you've already sent off and you happen to open one of those non-standard files, does the actual PDF show up without a signature on the document itself? I was wondering if that's actually how it’s supposed to look, or if maybe I've missed a step somewhere.

Yes, it’s unsigned, and that is perfectly fine. When you are submitting non-standard documentation, the instructions explicitly state that you shouldn't scan a hard copy that has been physically signed; instead, you just upload the digital PDF as is. Once you have the authorization to electronically sign GFI filings, that digital credential applies to all your other documentation as well.

java said:We have detected you are using Google Chrome and might be unable to use the Java plugin from this browser. Starting with version 42 ( released april 2015

I managed to resolve the issue myself, but one has to wonder: what is the actual purpose of these monthly Java updates? 🤦

Brian Campbell36 said:I managed to resolve the issue myself, but one has to wonder: what is the actual purpose of these monthly Java updates? 🤦

I honestly thought it was just me running into this issue, but it looks like several others are in the same boat. It seems there is always some sort of "interesting" little surprise waiting for us.
If anyone happens to need a hand getting things sorted, here is a helpful link:
https://java.com/en/download/faq/chrome.xml

Lawrence Clark2 said:I honestly thought it was just me running into this issue, but it looks like several others are in the same boat. It seems there is always some sort of "interesting" little surprise waiting for us.
If anyone happens to need a hand getting things sorted, here is a helpful link:
https://java.com/en/download/faq/chrome.xml

I can only hope they don't go ahead and kill Java support for Google Chrome entirely. 🤣

Hey everyone—does anyone happen to know if there's actually a way to file an amended sales tax return for last year? I totally messed up when I was entering the filing period—instead of marking it as October 1st through December 31st, I accidentally typed in December 1st through December 31st. Oops!

So, I went down to the local IRS office to get some clarity, and they just told me to go online and submit a corrected form through the e-file system. But here’s the kicker: whenever I try to actually send the return, the option is greyed out! It keeps throwing this error message at me saying the period can only start from January 1st, 2015.

Does anyone have any experience with this kind of glitch, or maybe knows a workaround to get this sorted out?

casualjackal14 said:Hey everyone—does anyone happen to know if there's actually a way to file an amended sales tax return for last year? I totally messed up when I was entering the filing period—instead of marking it as October 1st through December 31st, I accidentally typed in December 1st through December 31st. Oops!

So, I went down to the local IRS office to get some clarity, and they just told me to go online and submit a corrected form through the e-file system. But here’s the kicker: whenever I try to actually send the return, the option is greyed out! It keeps throwing this error message at me saying the period can only start from January 1st, 2015.

Does anyone have any experience with this kind of glitch, or maybe knows a workaround to get this sorted out?

I suspect you might be selecting the wrong form—specifically, the one that took effect on 01/01/2015.
You likely need to complete the older version of the form (the one used prior to 12/31/2014).

Why on earth does the IRS fail to recognize the attachments submitted alongside my sales tax returns? They actually went so far as to call me about it, despite the fact that I have followed every single instruction to the letter—and this certainly isn't the first time I've filed these forms with them. 🤔

Is the staff at the IRS completely illiterate when it comes to basic technology, unable to even open a PDF attachment? Or is it simply that their electronic filing system is too broken to function in a real-world business environment?

Brian Campbell36 said:I can only hope they don't go ahead and kill Java support for Google Chrome entirely. 🤣

they actually did

Brian Campbell36 said:Why on earth does the IRS fail to recognize the attachments submitted alongside my sales tax returns? They actually went so far as to call me about it, despite the fact that I have followed every single instruction to the letter—and this certainly isn't the first time I've filed these forms with them. 🤔

Is the staff at the IRS completely illiterate when it comes to basic technology, unable to even open a PDF attachment? Or is it simply that their electronic filing system is too broken to function in a real-world business environment?

I've been using the e-filing system for four years now. Every single year, I meticulously attach all my documents and include a clear list of everything I've uploaded so they know exactly what's there. Yet, despite all that work, I still have to physically drive down to the local IRS office every year to hand-deliver those same papers because they claim they can't see them online. Honestly, I've thought about just stopping the scanning altogether; it feels like a total waste of effort if nobody sees it.