Foreign address & "red" error

[Catherine]

Client gets royalties from a publisher in the UK who actually sends a US 1099-MISC. However, the return address is in the UK. I am getting a "red" error about state and zip code not being correct, or missing, or too many characters, whatever (depending on the dodge I try). There has been, in the past, the trick of putting a period (.) in the state filed and that told the program to chill; foreign address here. That does NOT work this year.

I cannot find ANYTHING in the help files about foreign addresses. Anyone here know this year's dodge?

(We're using -- or at least feeling like -- this little emoticon a lot this year, aren't we?)

TIA,

Catherine

[Guest Taxed]

Does IRS really care about the address? I think they go by the EIN of the payer, tax id of the recipient and the amount and payment code. Why must the address be transmitted in a certain format?

[Catherine]

I thought "red" errors prevented e-files from being created...

[Margaret CPA in OH]

Catherine, I have a similar problem with an Australian client. I actually received a tech reply weeks ago to send the return but have heard nothing back. When I entered bank interest the recipient's name and address shows on the bottom section of 1099-INT but I get the red error message that it is missing valid state and zip code. Of course it is, they live in Australia.

I did extend them to October as they will meet the physical presence test by then so maybe programmers will have 'fixed' this by then. Otherwise, I will have to figure out another way to enter it. I think the programmers of this new version are too narrow in the possibilities, combinations and permutations of a variety of data items that are quite legit. Inexperience, perhaps?