So I filed my 2023 tax return and at the end it said
“Your New Jersey state tax return (Form NJ-1040) shows no balance due or refund amount.”
then yesterday I get a bill from the state saying I owe thousands in taxes plus a very hefty late fee! I tried to see if I could talk to a real person bc the AI bot was not helpful at all. Apparently I have to PAY to talk to someone! So now I owes thousands to the state AND I have to pay TT to try to find out what happened?!?!?!
what are my options here?
You can use the TurboTax Audit Support Center
See this TurboTax support FAQ for accessing the Audit Support Center - https://ttlc.intuit.com/turbotax-support/en-us/help-article/tax-audit/turbotax-audit-support/L6AcMoNFD_US_en_US?uid=m62eewg2
Your first step should be to take a closer look at the letter you received to be certain that it is referring to your 2023 state tax return and not a previous tax year. Often it can take more than a year before letters are sent with regard to tax return issues discovered by taxing authorities like the IRS or state departments of revenue.
Using the link shared by DoninGA to learn more about the TurboTax Audit Support Center, you will find a section where you can click 'New Jersey' to go directly to information about how to contact your state to be sure you understand the letter you received and what it means.