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Here's what worked for me: enter 0 in the AGI box, rather than any actual dollar amount. I didn't think this up by myself, others here have suggested it, but it worked for me when nothing else did.
My situation: my spouse died in 2019, and I ran into the same problem with my 2019 return last year that everyone else here has had. TurboTax had no solution so I filed a paper return. Then this year my 2020 return was rejected for "incorrect AGI" even though the value was indisputably correct.
But putting 0 into the AGI box rather than the correct value worked. My federal return was accepted yesterday, which allowed my Colorado state return to also be accepted. I can only guess at why it worked; apparently if the IRS sees a zero in that field it gives you a fresh start. Or something.
Now then: Why the heck TurboTax does not provide this advice is a complete mystery, and not helpful.
Good luck!
Hi Mark.
Sounds like the problem I had with my 2019 return filed last year. Did you by any chance check the IRS site to verify the AGI? It would be either your account report or transaction report. For me, the report stated that I did not file a return, when I actually did.
Regards.
Yes, I did check the IRS site for last year's (2019 return) AGI. It matched the paper return that I filed, and also matched what TurboTax imported from last year's return to my 2020 return. "Incorrect AGI" is a misleading error message. Whatever the problem is, that ain't it. Many other people have the same experience; there is no "correct" entry that will allow your return to be accepted. However, my experience (and other people's) is that entering zero in that field somehow sidesteps that problem.
Follow-up thought: although there's no way to check this now, I have to wonder whether I could have e-filed successfully last year by putting a zero in the AGI field.
I don't have a clever idea about why the IRS site says you didn't file last year when you did. It seems like if they really thought you had not filed you might have heard from them about it, but perhaps not. If you either received a refund or had your payment check cashed, then they definitely saw your return.
Thanks Mark.
Oh, they certainly cashed my check. LOL. TT did not have the AGI question last year (not that I remember, anyway), so probably would not have worked. Zero definitely worked this year.
Cheers
I’ve tried entering zero for both my husband and myself and it has not worked.
Read Carefully:
Last year I filed through a different FREE online software and I was having this exact error. However, I read here somewhere that putting a zero worked, so I put zero for spouse prior year’s AGI. This year I am having the exact same issue, but since i am filing with TurboTax not by choice but because i have more complex tax situation including 401k cash out etc... I chose Turbotax. Anyways, I got the same error, to those who think it is a Turbotax problem, or if your spouse is deceased, no it is not just that. It is on the IRS end, because other people get the same error.
Now the important stuff, if you are reading this and you are not using Turbotax, figure a way to put your spouse’s agi zero and see if it works “honestly it will most likely work”. Now if you are using Turbotax, the issue is they will ask you to correct the spouse’ agi, when you put zero they literally redo the filing thing again and they ask you for the agi again, so, if you do the actual agi then they override the zero you just put and when you send you will get rejected again, and if you put zero on all they put zero for both of you and your spouse, and again you will get rejected........to resolve this: wen Turbotax redo the filing steps again and asks you if you both filed a return last year “which most people will put both yes” instead put only one filed a tax return, a sub menu will open a new question and it will ask specifically who didn’t file a return last year, choose your spouse didn’t file a tax return last year “Turbotax will automatically put zero as your spouse’s agi”, then go ahead and finish the return, put your prior years agi as usual when prompted and this should work for many people.
If this works for you please come back a comment so others now it is working, because next year, just like I did, you will be here again looking for this answer because you will forget. Best of luck
No, it is NOT an IRS problem; it is a tax software problem. Last year, the HR Block software had the same bug as TurboTax. Many of us tried other software (I used FreeTaxUSA) and the same returns that were rejected when using TT were accepted within minutes. We wouldn't have been successful if this were an IRS problem.
This problem was fixed in the most recent TurboTax update, on April 8, 2021.
Rjs, I just filed today and my software was updated, the issue will happen to those who had it in the past in my opinion. If it is a software glitch, well I have been so unlucky to file only with these companies with glitches I guess, but honestly I have my doubts. It seems though once you start getting it you will get it every year because for next year guess what? My spouse’s agi is going to be zero again.
@NBH2021 wrote:
It seems though once you start getting it you will get it every year
This thread is so long that some participants may have lost sight of the original issue. The problem addressed in this thread involves filing as married filing jointly with a deceased spouse. You would only be doing that for one year, or at most two years (the year that the spouse died, and possibly the preceding year if the spouse died before the return for the preceding year was filed). Filing as married filing jointly with a deceased spouse does not go on for years.
Also note that, if you filed jointly in the previous year, both spouses have the same prior-year AGI.
I am having the same problem with AGI, although not due to my spouse's death (my condolences to you.) We have had it for two years now and I cannot figure out with the error is as I am using the AGI reported by Turbo Turds to the IRS. Lord knows the IRS is behind and lacking customer service help, and Turbo is completely a waste with no resources to provide help! We should automatically receive our e-filing fee of $24.99 is these situations. Two years in a row. Completely frustrating!
Changing my spouse's AGI to 0 worked for me! (and they are not deceased BTW) TurboTax auto-filled it with last years AGI, which I double checked and it was correct. However after getting rejected twice I found this thread and tried changing my spouse's AGI to 0 as others have suggested. On final confirmation page, don't click on any of the edit buttons. Just click continue and submit the return. I got an acceptance email within 20 minutes!
My 2021 Federal Return is rejected due to Spouse AGI. We have always filed a Joint return and do not know how to find separate AGI.
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