Yesterday, I completed my final tax return. It was a little different than most would expect. It was all done via a friend back in the US.

My friend scanned and sent pdf files of the W-2's, 1099-R's, and anything else I needed, along with the tax software. I completed the return, printed the return to a pdf file, then printed the signature pages. After I and my wife signed the signature pages, I scanned them into a pdf file. Everything was zipped together and sent back to my friend by email. He will print them on his end, replace the appropriate pages, and then mail them out for me.

I couldn't do the e-file thing with the IRS. There was a code missing from the 1099-R's. It doesn't matter, I'm in no hurry. At least the checks will be deposited to my account here and I don't have to deal with any kind of mail delay. My friend is a life-saver. With how slow the mail service is between here and the US and if I had used regular mail, I don't think it would reach the IRS by the April deadline.