I received a TurboTax email saying"...you will need to file an amended federal tax return." But on web it says "Most taxpayers should not amend for the unemployment tax"

[Milbumfam]

I also filed an amended return because turbo tax said to and now my eligibility for the ctc says eligibility pending and I didn’t receive the advance payment and I have not received my unemployment tax refund either. Thank TurboTax for completely screwing me over! Will NEVER use TurboTax again. 

[jmansf]

I also received this email and have yet to receive the unemployment tax refund or my child tax credit.  I NEVER had a problem in the past with getting my refunds early via direct deposit and now I see that I have to wait for a check to be mailed.  WE REALLY NEEDED THESE CHILD TAX PAYMENTS.  I sure hope that I don't have to wait until we file out taxes to get any payment.  I am so sad about all this because I ONLY amended my returns after I got the email from turbo tax directing me to do so.  This is really horrible. 

[Faith77]

Mine absolutely said I needed to file an amendment not I may have to file an amended return

[Critter-3]

The IRS is seriously behind in processing 2020 tax returns.  This is due to many factors, such as the pandemic, completing processing of millions of 2019 tax returns, stimulus payments, unemployment compensation exclusion tax refunds., changes in the tax code by Congress in the middle of the 2020 tax season and the like.

Millions of taxpayers have not yet received there federal tax refunds.

Go to this IRS website for operational status - https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/irs-operations-during-covid-19-mission-critical-functions-continue

As of June 23, 2021, we had 17.5 million unprocessed individual returns in the pipeline. Unprocessed returns include tax year 2020 returns such as those requiring correction to the Recovery Rebate Credit amount or validation of 2019 income used to figure the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and Additional Child Tax Credit (ACTC). This work does not require us to correspond with taxpayers but does require special handling by an IRS employee so, in these instances, it is taking the IRS more than 21 days to issue any related refund. If, as a result, a correction is made to any RRC, EITC or ACTC claimed on the return, the IRS will send taxpayers an explanation. Taxpayers are encouraged to continue to check Where’s My Refund? for their personalized refund status and can review Tax Season Refund Frequently Asked Questions.

[Milbumfam]

The issue has zero to do with the irs delay of processing returns 

[jmansf]

Word for Word- copy and pasted from the message I received...  

The message  clearly states that in order to qualify for the unemployment refund an amendment will need to be filed.  Hoping that they are just behind and I will see a double payment in August for the child tax credit as well as my tax refund.  When I look on the IRS portal it states that my eligibility is pending and I can only assume it is from the amendment that was approved April 29.  Either way, it's a huge inconvenience and my family really could use this credit as well as the refund.  I would not have altered my original return if I had not received the message from Turbo Tax below.  I have always used Turbo Tax and I have never had a delay in tax refunds or in the stimulus payments from IRS.  UNTIL NOW... 

SEE EMAIL TEXT FROM TURBO TAX BELOW... everyone got this message I am sure and it clearly tells us to amend our returns

"Dear TurboTax Customer,

We are following up on our earlier email regarding the increased Unemployment benefits. Great news! In addition to the unemployment benefits, you may now be eligible for additional deductions, credits or benefits on your 2020 TurboTax federal return.

Unemployment Income: Based on the recently passed American Rescue Plan, the first $10,200 of your unemployment income may now be tax-free. Since you filed before this law was in place, you could be owed an additional payment from the IRS.

Additional Deductions and Credits: Now that some of your unemployment income is tax free, your Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) may be lower. This means that you could now be eligible for additional deductions and credits.

In order to claim these additional deductions and credits, you will need to file an amended federal tax return. However, you do not need to file an amended state return at this time."

[VolvoGirl]

Thankyou for pasting the email.  Read the first part of that sentence.  In order to claim the additional deductions and credits.....  it doesn't mean just to claim the new 10,200 exemption.  The IRS will recalculate your return for that.  

[happymommy2]

I got the same exact email, so I amended my 2020 tax return and it still says pending almost 3 months later.  I didn't receive the advanced child tax credit.  I'm so upset with Turbotax.  We really need this money.  I regret amending my tax return and will never do my taxes with them again.  I never had any problems.  I'm so unhappy.  I feel like all of us who amended our taxes, due to the email that they sent us really got screwed.  

[Critter-3]

Again  ... the email did NOT say you needed to amend for the unemployment change ... only if there were OTHER changes that affected your return.  So if you  filed an amended return there is nothing you can do now but wait for the IRS to process the original  return and eventually the amended return (if they will not send it back for errors on column A) ... don't really know how they will handle this filing error yet.  

"Dear TurboTax Customer,

We are following up on our earlier email regarding the increased Unemployment benefits. Great news! In addition to the unemployment benefits, you may now be eligible for additional deductions, credits or benefits on your 2020 TurboTax federal return.

Unemployment Income: Based on the recently passed American Rescue Plan, the first $10,200 of your unemployment income may now be tax-free. Since you filed before this law was in place, you could be owed an additional payment from the IRS.

Additional Deductions and Credits: Now that some of your unemployment income is tax free, your Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) may be lower. This means that you could now be eligible for additional deductions and credits.

In order to claim these additional deductions and credits, you will need to file an amended federal tax return. However, you do not need to file an amended state return at this time."

[Critter-3]

@jmansf

Can you post the original email ?  What you posted was a follow up email.  

[grey4]

I amended my tax return because of the email that I received. Then I looked online and saw a lot of articles saying not to do anything. With me amending my 2020 tax return, I have not received my refund, unemployment tax credit, or child tax credit. The Information I received through Turbo Tax was very misleading and has caused a huge financial delay for my family. This has been the most frustrating tax experience ever! Turbo Tax has received my money for filing taxes, but because of misguided Information I have not received what I and my family was supposed to!!

[jmansf]

I read the email. The fact is that it was very unclear given that I received an email from INTUIT stating there was nothing I needed to do (which I have since provided in this thread) and then they sent this other message telling me I may have additional credits based on our AGI with the unemployment tax credit now applied.  It made me feel as though they felt we should amend out return in order to make certain we got all the money due to us with both of these applied.  My husband and I both received unemployment ( I lost my job and he was furloughed for 6 months) so our income tax deduction was substantial.  You can keep pointing out the message that was sent and highlighting the text that you think we should have recognized but that won't change the fact that we were notified to amend out return after being told we did not have to do anything.  SO, it gave the impression that I was chosen due to the information they identified in my returns which would lead to a higher amount of refund for my family with an amendment.  This was the reason I amended my return

[jmansf]

Sure, but given the fact that both my and my husbands AGI changed with the unemployment refund/credit. Therefore, we may actually qualify for MORE money back with the other credit spelled out in the letter. The message gave the impression that they knew our income would qualify and that in order to be certain to get the most money refunded we needed to amend our return. 

[jmansf]

right there with ya... this really sucks

[rcollierd]

I too have my extra unemployment and child tax credit on hold because turbotax emailed me telling me to amend. This is absolute garbage. We really needed that money and have for a while. This will be the last time I use turbotax. Is there absolutely no way to cancel the amended return?