How to edit IRS documents

[seanusmc.]

I paid for this software so that I can fill in forms from the IRS. I only want to edit this PDF https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/fw2_18.pdf but it says that "This XFA form cannot be edited using Adobe Acrobat". What software can edit it? How do I get that software? I see that there is a how to for work arounds that remove the forms and make it so that you cannot edit the document here: https://helpx.adobe.com/acrobat/kb/edit-xfa-form.html#EditXFAforms but I want to fill in the forms, not workaround which flattens and removes the forms.

[rjunke]

Not sure where it is you are getting an XFA form. I clicked your link and it downloaded the form as PDF (fw2_18.pdf). If I understand correctly, you're wanting to open this in Adobe Acrobat and add fill in form fields? As I said it downloaded ror me as PDF and can be edited to add form fields..

[rjunke]

BTW. This form has security settings applied (likely password protected) to prevent editing. What you can do is load this into Acrobat, then "print" it to a new PDF file using the "Adobe PDF" printer choice in the print dialog. The new file doesn't have security applied and can be edited to add form fields.

[seanusmc.]

I printed as a PDF and generated a new one. I opened that document and the form fields are gone. I can edit it, but I can't fill in the form fields, so all the formatting for the fields that need to be filled in are gone. I can add my own custom text fields, but that defeats the purpose of having the forms.

[seanusmc.]

Yes, I just want to fill in the form.

If I click on the "Edit" button on Adobe Acrobat Pro DC, I get this error message:

Is there some other mode other than "Edit" that I need to be in to fill in the form? When I click on the fields without changing to edit mode, I just get an error alert "ding".

[rjunke]

Hmmmm. I don't get that message. When I click the "Prepare Form" icon I get a dialog asking me to select the file or do a scan. Of course I select the file and that's when I get the security error message telling me "You cannot edit this file as a form due to its security settings.. The file I downloaded is not a fill in form. I could be wrong, and someone else can chime in, but I think you're stuck with what you have. So you know, when I did use the "adobe PDF" printer then opened it, I got the same choice to open it for editing or do a scan. This time, I opened it and Acrobat added most (but not all) of the fill in fields for me. Sorry I couldn't be of any help.

[seanusmc.]

Ahh, "Prepare Form" seems to let me fill in the form after I print it as a PDF. This software is really counterintuitive.

[Test Screen Name]

1. You can't edit this kind of form with Acrobat

2. You don't need to pay for anything to fill the forms in

3. Do NOT try to edit forms, or remove security, or change the design or setup in ANY WAY. Do not print to PDF. Do not use prepare forms. The IRS takes a bad view of thism and forms are automated as they were originally made. At best, your form may be rejected, lost or not seen. At worst, they may consider it fraud or some other crime.

Work with the form you have, don't try to make it anything different.

[seanusmc.]

What is the right way to fill in this form?

[Test Screen Name]

Since they have not made it fillable, and you cannot make it fillable, you can print it out, write on it, and scan it.

[Test Screen Name]

Clarification: having downloaded the form I see the IRS grants you specific rights to do things with the black (not red) form. You must not submit it to IRS (they mention a penalty if you do) but there are some specific legal purposes. 

[try67]

You would need Adobe LiveCycle Designer (now part of the Adobe Experience Manager suite, I believe), but you should NOT try and edit this file. Not only is it probably secured and won't let you edit it even if you had this specialized (and expensive) software, but doing so might actually be an offense and could get you into a lot of legal problems.

[outcyde]

I think you misunderstood the OP when he said 'edit the form'. I am running into the same issue when trying to complete this same IRS document. All works fine until I try to add in the date. The form won't let me and gives me that error 'This XFA form cannot be edited using Adobe Acrobat". All I am trying to do is add the date next to my signature. Not an attempt to do anything nefarious, but put the date in like the form requests.

[try67]

You can only fill in data into the fields added by the IRS. Anything else is considered editing and is not allowed, regardless of your motives.

[outcyde]

I figured out how to get past it. I added in the text as a signature instead of text and was able to bypass it. The issue I was having was not being able to put in the date next to the signature. I just added the date as a typed signature and then popped it in. Worked like a charm.

[nicolasn95047028]

thanks for this, not sure why everyone is trying to give you ethical advice instead of trying to understand the problem.

[Bevi Chagnon - PubCom.com]

...not sure why everyone is trying to give you ethical advice...

By @nicolasn95047028

Not ethical advice, but rather advice to not violate the US Federal government's laws regarding tax reporting (either fraudulent tax reporting or tax evaision similar to what Donald Trump and 1920s gangster Al Capone were prosecuted for).

FW2 is IRS's standard "W-2 Wage & Tax Statement" form for employers to report annual income that was paid to employees, and the taxes that were withheld from employee paychecks and sent to the US federal and state governments. 

It's completed and submitted by employers not employees. Usually employers submit the forms electronically directly to SSA (Social Security Administration) or via an authorized e-filing tax company, but per the instructions on page 1, the form can also be used to supply that same info to employees, which employees/tax payers include with their annual 1040 federal tax return and state/local returns.

@seanusmc. "Editing" a form means changing the content of the text on the page or the text label next to a form field. That's not permitted per IRS in any of their forms, obviously.

Filling in form fields is a different function: the end user can click inside the form field and supply the information that's requested. And if form fields are in the PDF, then you can use any qualified PDF reading software program to do that, including Adobe Acrobat Reader or Acrobat Pro.

The W-2 form for 2018 you linked to is not an active form: there are no form fields in it for you to click and add the data. IRS prevents us from doing that on this particular form. (It's not an Adobe Acrobat restriction, but instead an IRS one.) IRS requires that all income/tax data be supplied via one of their approved methods, which you can read about on the first page of the form's instructions.

Also, W-2 doesn't contain a signature field, nor a date field. The year is preprinted by IRS on the form and can't be changed; you must use the version for the year you're filing/completing the data.

• The current year is here: https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-form-w-2
• Prior years are at: https://www.irs.gov/prior-year-forms-and-instructions?find=w-2&items_per_page=200  scroll to the lower section where W2 forms are listed.

Form W-2 
Form W-2

Summary:

If you're a US employer and reporting income/taxes to employees and the government, you can supply that info in several ways:

• Through your accounting software, such as Intuit's QuickBooks.
• Through your accountant if they provide that service.
• Through an e-filing service. My firm uses and recommends Yearli.com by Great Plains Software.
• Through Social Security's Electronic Wage Reporting website, https://www.ssa.gov/employer/documents/W2Online.pdf
• This filing is due by January 31st of each year.

If you're an employee:

• Ask your employer for an official informational copy of your W-2. You should have received one around February 1st of each year, either printed/mailed or digital.
• If you're trying to fabricate a W-2 statement, please use caution. That action is always questioned by governments, courts, banks, and spouses you're trying to divorce — don't try and cook the books! 

If you're legitimately trying to replicate a lost W-2, you can always use Acrobat's Text Comment tool to "write" text in the text fields.

Hope this helps.

[nicolasn95047028]

@outcyde solved the problem. you're still not reading for comprehension. anyone reading this thread, just reference outcydes solution, disregard the copy/paste jargon.

[Bevi Chagnon - PubCom.com]

...you're still not reading for comprehension. anyone reading this thread, just reference outcydes solution, disregard the copy/paste jargon.

By @nicolasn95047028

Any comprehension error is on everyone who didn't read the IRS's instructions on how to submit this required income data.  IRS (and most other government taxing agencies worldwide) lock down some of their forms to prevent theft of information and also to prevent misinformation from being distributed. Also, when the data is submitted correctly, it is more easily processed by IRS and less likely to be rejected.

@outcyde 's solution uses text comments which doesn't create a form that can be verified for accuracy; consequently, this form (when filled in with text comments) is often rejected by IRS, state/county tax agencies, lenders, banks, and your spouse's divorce lawyer because text comments can't be verified for accuracy.  However, IRS's instructions allow it for personal use.

You have the choice of whether you follow IRS's instructions or not. You also have the choice of whether you get audited, fined and penalized by IRS or not. Or prosecuted as a tax evader or not. Or get the loan you want.

Summary:

• Filling in this form is controlled by the IRS, not Adobe or any other software company or PDF software.
• Your life is your choice.  Read wisely.

—Bevi Chagnon

PDF and forms expert to IRS and other government agencies

MBA and consultant to small businesses on accounting and taxes

[Carl26461314ihs5]

Absolute crap! Did Biden forget to get rid of Trumpers in the IRS? I am able to enter data in some forms, in others I can't. I will just have to put the numbers in in pen in the forms that don't let me write. I hope when they get handwritten forms they will fix the problem. Will also try another pdf editor. 

[Bevi Chagnon - PubCom.com]

I am able to enter data in some forms, in others I can't.

By @Carl26461314ihs5

Check that the form you're using is really an active form, and not a sample from IRS.