E-File Rejected For Pin and AGI

[mrsjarvis]

My dad passed away at the beginning of this year and we both have always used TurboTax to do our taxes. So I am attempting to e-file his and my mom's taxes for them this year (marking him as deceased prior to filing, but my mom is still living), but the e-file keeps rejecting at the state for AGI not matching. I used his previous year's Turbo Tax file to start this years filing, so the AGI should have been correct, and it is correct according to the printed copy my mom was able to provide. But the filing rejected again when I attempted to re-e-file with the same information. I also tried the "trick" I've seen in other posts with trying to e-file using the $0 AGI for last year, but it rejected a third time. I'm wondering if this is happening because my dad is the head of household on the filing and is marked as deceased (so it did not ask me for his pin and maybe isn't using it)? Is there something else I can try? My mom is concerned if we file by mail that it will cause any future potential stimulus money to be sent via check instead of direct deposited, especially because she owes this year rather than getting a refund direct deposited. Is this a possibility?

[MarilynG1]

Sorry for your loss.

Sounds like you proceeded to file a Joint Return for your parents correctly. 

The AGI for both your mom and dad are the same numbers, so enter the same amount for each of them, from their 2019 return, as you indicated you have the printed copy. 

Their filing status should be 'Married Filing Jointly'  so double-check this in the MY INFO section. You should have to enter the AGI for both of them in the File section of the Federal return.

You didn't mention which state you are in, but if the AGI's are correct in the Federal return, you should not get a state error.  Have you filed Federal previously and are trying to file state separately?  You can do this, but only after Federal is Accepted by the IRS. 

If this doesn't resolve your issue, you could try deleting the state return entirely, then adding the state back in and going through the state interview to Efile.

Click this link for more info on How to Delete a State Return.

If you can't resolve the State Efile Reject, you may have to mail your State Return.  If you post here again with more info, we will try to help.  

Don't worry; the State Efile Reject will not affect the Third Stimulus Payment being sent out by the IRS.  This comes directly to you; not through TurboTax.

If your mom has not yet filed a 2020 return to the IRS, they will use the info from her 2019 return for sending a direct deposit. 

Click this link for more info on the Third Stimulus Payment .

[mrsjarvis]

Thank you.

Good questions, I'll clarify - it is the Federal e-filing that is failing. I submitted both at the same time and both failed - Federal for the Pin and AGI being incorrect for my father and the State because Federal was rejected. So I am attempting to only file Federal at this time, and once Federal is accepted I will move on to State.

I confirmed their return is Married filing Jointly in the My Info section, and when I went through the Filing section it only asked me for my mom's Pin and AGI, said it already had the information for my dad so it didn't need that information entered. It only asks me for my dad's AGI when the e-file is rejected and it is having me fix the errors. I have gone back through and confirmed both of their AGI's are the same amount and both are the amount that was on the printed copy that we have from last year.

Is there a some place besides the Filing section where I can confirm the AGI's for both parents? Like on a particular form? Would it be worthwhile to request a tax transcript from the IRS to try to resolve this or is it better just to file by mail?

Thanks again for all of the help!

[DianeW777]

Yes. You check with the IRS to make sure that the copy of your return is the same as what is in their records. To do this, you can order a free IRS Transcript, of your past return from the IRS.

It doesn't hurt to try using a zero for the 2019 AGI.  Of course the final solution will be to file the returns by mail.

As a reminder these are the usual protocols for the 2019 AGI:

1. Filed late last year after mid-November or your return was processed after that time—try entering $0.
2. Amended your return last year—make sure you’re using the AGI from your original return, not the amended one. (If you only have a 1040X form, it’s on line 1, column A).
3. Rounded your AGI to the nearest dollar—be sure to round up when it’s 50 cents or more and down when it’s 49 cents or less.
4. Filed with your spouse last year—you and your spouse have the same 2019 AGI. (Don’t split the AGI amount or enter 0 for one of you).