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Ask HN: FreeTaxUSA denies registrations based on TLDs in email addresses?

1 points by michelangelo ↗ HN
I’ve been trying to register on their website with my non-mainstream email address ending with a geographical TLD and I got this error:

The email can't be a foreign email address ending with <TLD in my domain name>

Out of curiosity I tried with some other domain I have around ending with different geographical TLDs and the error is always the same.

Support mentioned that it’s due to “regulations” but I find this very hard to believe.

3 comments

[ 4.7 ms ] story [ 20.3 ms ] thread
pwg
Given that they will likely not quote/point to a specific 'regulation' that says they must do this, you won't know if it is actually 'regulations' or just them.

In the meantime, you might take a look at Open Tax Solver:

https://opentaxsolver.sourceforge.net/

It is a local program, so it won't care where in the world you are when you are using it.

michelangelo
Thanks.

That’s the thing: I’m in the US.

pwg
Yes, but for /whatever/ reason, they programmed their signup form to disallow signups from certain tld's, so a "me@somewhere.uk" (example pulled from hat) triggers their "don't allow from *.uk" error path.

They are not looking at where you "are", just what your email ends with. And why they are bothering to do so I don't know, as they seem to be overlooking the fact that the IRS insists that citizens pay income taxes no matter where in the world they are, and where in the world the income is earned. So a US citizen, living in the UK on a work visa, and earning income in the UK, and with a UK email address, is still required to pay the IRS their due.