Federal and state returns rejected for ID-031-04 AGI Mismatch

[Kitty10]

I have filed twice today and both times federal/state returns rejected. I have checked 2019 taxes and I know the AGI is correct. However, my husband died March 2020, and I am filing 2020 taxes jointly as allowed. Does it matter if his name precedes mine on the 1040. I have listed him as [removed], and myself as the spouse.

[TerukoL]

If the 2019 adjusted gross income (AGI) or Self-select PIN doesn't match the numbers in the IRS database, you'll get one or both of these rejections:

• IND-031-04: The primary taxpayer's AGI or Self-select PIN from last year does not match IRS records

Please click TurboTax Online instructions for E-file reject IND-031-04 or IND-032-04: The AGI or Self-select PIN... to learn more. 

[Kitty10]

My 2019 AGI matches the 1040 information I'm trying to file for my 2020 taxes. I am still being rejected, told that  "IND-031-04 - The primary taxpayer's AGI or Self-select PIN from last year does not match IRS records." My spouse (primary) died in 2020, but I am still filing Married Filing Jointly. I have listed him as primary in 2020, too. Is this the problem? Should I be the primary?

[MaryM428]

I am sorry to hear that your husband passed away.

In TurboTax you should still have your spouse listed, but check the box that he passed away and then put in the date when he died.

The first year that you are a widow you still use married filing jointly, if that is what you used in the past.  The e-file will be checking the AGI and self-select PIN from 2019.  Those will both have to match for you to e-file.  The program is checking the AGI and pin from 2019.  

Sometimes the AGI gets reset to zero, so if you have the pin and the AGI is being rejected, try filing with zero as the AGI.  You can also say that you did not file taxes last year and it will skip those questions and allow you to e-file.

Lying to TurboTax to make the program work is not the same as lying to the IRS,  The IRS does not see your answers to those questions.

You can select File by mail instead to print your return as-is and mail it to the IRS.  If you file by mail remember to sign and date the return before mailing it.  When you print the return to mail a cover sheet will have a list of any documents to send with the return and the address to mail it to.

[Kitty10]

I am still getting rejection emails when trying to file federal/state returns. I requested the 2019 tax return from the IRS to double-check the AGI, and it is correct.  My spouse died in 2020, so I am filing as surviving spouse but I believe the problem may be that I added the word "Deceased" after his last name on the 1040. Every page of the return carried that over after his last name (Last Name Deceased).  Can I remove the word Deceased from his name on the 1040? Or do I have to completely start over. Thank you.

[LenaH]

No, you do not have to start your return over. Please go back to your Personal Info Summary and remove the word Deceased after his name. Instead, answer yes for the question that the taxpayer passed away during the year and enter his date of death. I have added a picture below for additional guidance.

After that is complete, you can try refiling using your 2019 adjusted gross income. 

Failing that, you can opt to file a paper return. To do so, please follow the instructions below:

1. Sign in to your account and select the Fix my return button.
2. On the Let's fix your returns and then refile screen, select Fix it now or Revisit .
3. On the following screen, you'll have the option to select how you want to proceed with the error.
   • You can select File by mail instead to print your return as-is and mail it to the IRS. You won’t have to deal with AGI issues and can skip the rest of these instructions.

@Kitty10