Participating Frequently

Question

How to edit IRS documents

Forum|Forum|5 years ago
June 2, 2020
5 replies
15885 views

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.

PDF forms

C

Carl26461314ihs5

Participant

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

Legend

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.

|    Bevi Chagnon   |  Designer, Trainer, & Technologist for Accessible Documents ||    PubCom |    Classes & Books for Accessible InDesign, PDFs & MS Office |

try67

Community Expert

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.

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outcyde

Participant

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.

nicolasn95047028

Participant

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.

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

T

Test Screen Name

Legend

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.

T

Test Screen Name

Legend

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.

S

seanusmc.Author

Participating Frequently

What is the right way to fill in this form?

T

Test Screen Name

Legend

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

Old_Salt

Participating Frequently

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..

Old_Salt

Participating Frequently

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.

S

seanusmc.Author

Participating Frequently

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.

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