!040 forms

[bobhlgh]

Hi -
I am running Windows 7 and IE 9.  I went to the IRS webpage and got form 1040.  I can print it.
I can also type the infro in the spaces BUT I can not save the printed copy.  I think the problem has to do with the language (correct word?) that is being used by the IRS but I am not smart enough to figure it out.  I want to save the form so that I can call it back when I can add other infro to the form.  I did it last year but I have forgottem what I did.   Last year I was on Windows Vista which might make a difference.   Any  help?   Thanks   Bob

[truenorth]

See if this helps.
http://windows.microsoft.com/is-IS/windows7/Take-a-screen-capture-print-your-screen
truenorth

[patio]

Aren't the Government tax forms in PDF format ? ?

[bobhlgh]

truenorth -
I have never done a screen print and I am reluckant to try.  If I can't get some help I will try.

patio -
You are correct about the  PDF.  I should have said that first.  When I go to the IRS forms there are directions about how to change them to word or something else but I have been unable to get good results.  When I submitted my question I was hoping that I would get someone who uses the  IRS forms on the internet and could tell me how to handle PDF.

Thank you both for your time.   Bob

[truenorth]

bobhigh, I really do encourage you do follow the guidance of the link i gave you to =
1.copy the presentation of the screen using the print screen function
2.save the copied screen to an identifiable location on your harddrive such as "my documents" and
3.when so desired print out a copy of the saved document.
It is a very simple process and once done the 1st time it will become an easy routine from then on.
truenorth

[bobhlgh]

truenorth -
Let me state my problem again.  I can call up the IRS form 1040.  I can enter data into the proper spaces.  Now I want to store the form until I get more data to enter into the form.   As noted previously the IRS uses PDF.  I guess this is a language that I am not famillar with.  At the top of the form there are directions about how to convert PDF to other languages.  I can not follow these directions to the point where I can find where the form went to.  It is hard to explain what my problem is.   Bob

[patio]

What app are you opening the doc in ? ?
If it is word you can select save as a .doc and it will retain all changes...then you can print it out.

[soybean]

Let me state my problem again.  I can call up the IRS form 1040.  I can enter data into the proper spaces.  Now I want to store the form until I get more data to enter into the form.   As noted previously the IRS uses PDF.  I guess this is a language that I am not famillar with.  At the top of the form there are directions about how to convert PDF to other languages.  I can not follow these directions to the point where I can find where the form went to.  It is hard to explain what my problem is.   Bob

Bob, you silly man, PDF means Portable Document Format; it is not a "language".  And, there is no option "to convert PDF to other languages".  At the top of irs.gov, there is a option to view the site in other languages, meaning spoken languages, not a computer programming language.   

The IRS forms in PDF can, indeed, be filled AND saved, meaning the information you typed in will still be there when you open the form again.  I just went to irs.gov and opened a Form 1040 in my browser, typed in a few boxes at the top of the form, and the saved it using my Windows 7 computer with Foxit Reader. I then opened Foxit Reader and opened the form to verify my data was still there.  I typed some more data, saved it, re-opened it in Foxit Reader, and all the data I entered was there.  By the way, I'm quite sure this works the same way with Adobe Reader. So, I don't know what your problem is. 

What version of Adobe Reader are you using?  Try saving the form and then opening it in Adobe Reader and see whether you can enter data and save it.

[bobhlgh]

soybean -
You have discovered how little I know.  You did exactly what I want to do.  I can call up IRS form 1040 and fill in the spaces then I look up at the top and click on "save files to Acrobat,com and access from multiple devisces".  I see at the right side a place to click on Acrobat.com but when I do this it wants me to sign in.  As I have not registered before I can not sign in.  During the next day or two I will try to clear this up and then maybe things will work better.  It seems that Acrobat.com has been changed to Workplaces.
You asked what Adobe Reader I was using.  It is Adobe Reader XI.  Thanks for your patience.  I will get back to you when I clear up Acrobat.com.   Thanks    Bob

[soybean]

Acrobat.com has nothing to do with having Adobe Reader installed on your computer and using it to view PDF files.

I look up at the top and click on "save files to Acrobat,com

This makes no sense.  You save your PDF tax form to your hard hard, not to Acrobat.com, which is a website.

[truenorth]

bobhlgh, As soybean is telling you you are mixing apples and oranges here.What you have is internet access to an IRS form.You want to be able to enter some data to that form (but not complete it initially) and be able to save it and then display it again and add more data to it. Eventually you will have all the form filled in. At that point even if you can return it via the internet for your required filling you will (perhaps ) want to print out a copy (either to replace net filing --so you can mail it and/or to have a hard copy (printed) for your own records. While we do not interact with the IRS (we are not Americans) we do this every year with our Canadian equivalent (CRA). It would surprise me very much if as part of the form there is not the ability to save it (to your computer ie; "my documents" or some other defined folder that you want to create). As well i would be equally surprised if there is also not an option to print the form from the actual form as it is displayed on your desktop.You do not need (again as soybean is stating) to save it to some external source.truenorth 

[Computer_Commando]

Save yourself a lot of grief & use TurboTax.  Online version is free to use, pay when file.  Download & install Basic version is $30, free e-filing included.  Can be saved to pdf for record keeping.

[bobhlgh]

Computer_Commando and others -
Let me explain.  I am one of the 47% of those who file income tax returns that do not pay income taxes.  However, I do not trust digital reporting because I never know when I will make a mistake and be billed for lots of money.  Therefore,  I fill out a paper copy and mail it in while keeping a copy for myself.  As I understand it the only way I can get a paper copy of the forms is to download them from the IRS.org website.  If I have to do that I might as well fill out the forms on my computer.  Last year it worked fine.  This year I am having problems.   Thank you for your interest.     Bob

[bobhlgh]

Hi -
You guys are going all out to help me but sometimes you say things I don't understand.  Let us do this:  I can call up form 1040 and type infro in the right spaces. Now I want to save it.  Which button at the top of the form do I click on?  Thanks   Bob

[truenorth]

You must be getting this form on your computer and visible via a "browser" (Internet explorer--if that is what you are using--is a browser). When the form is open it will be within a browser web page. In the upper left corner of the page should be a "file" tab. By clicking on file with your left mouse key it will open up a list. Scan down the list one of the lines will say "save as". Click on that (when you are ready to save something) and name the file in the box provided (such as tax filing 2012) then select a place where you want the form to be saved (for instance=my documents). Now any time you want to open the form in the future to add to it or eventually to print it =go to your desktop icons and click on the one that says "my documents" it will open a window with everything that you have stored in my documents. Your file "tax filing 2012" will be amongst them. Left click on it. It will open the last version of the form you saved with all the data in it you had saved up to that point.There is more as you go through the steps of adding to the form but really it should be clear to you what you need to do (but if not come back and tell us what it is you don't understand (if that happens) and we shall go from there.truenorth
P.S> In case the .pdf file fills the entire screen and the tool bar at the top (normally visible when a browser window is open)is NOT seen.Then with your mouse in motion move it around the screen until it appears--will more often than not be down in the area where the task bar is at the bottom of the screen. Then you will see the toolbar with "file" etc.