Amend 2020 Tax Forms for the Recovery Rebate Credit

[DianeW777]

You will use the Recovery Rebate Credit (RRC) to reconcile the stimulus payments received and any potential remaining amount to receive.  Once  you are in your TurboTax return for 2020 or 2021 follow the instructions below.

In TurboTax Online, to claim the Recovery Rebate credit please do the following:

1. Sign into your account and continue from where you left off
2. Click on Federal in the left-hand column, then on Federal Review on the top of the screen
3. On the next page titled Let's make sure you got the right stimulus amount, click on Continue
4. Follow the interview
5. TurboTax will determine whether you are entitled to any additional stimulus
6. Any stimulus amount remaining due to you will show as a credit on line 30 of your form 1040

@mmdz 

[mmdz]

Hi,

Thanks for your response. I believe that steps that you're giving me assume that I'm working on my 2020 taxes for the first time. I'm trying amend it. As you can see on the attached picture there is no "Federal" in the left-hand column. I went through entire amendment process for Federal and wasn't prompted about stimulus. How can I get to fix my stimulus answers while amending a return?

[PattiF]

This may help. Last year someone was trying to amend their 2020 return and had problems.  Here is their message: Resolved by searching for Jump to Recovery Rebate credit. 

From this discussion.

[mmdz]

Thanks for your response. Unfortunately I tried that and when I search for stimulus or recovery rabate it gives me links to these articles, but no option to jump anywhere

[CarissaM]

If you are unable to amend and need assistance, please click here to contact us by phone. @mmdz 

[mmdz]

I did reach out by phone and the support person also wasn't able to fix my Recovery Rebate Credit Worksheet or trigger Turbo Tax to ask these questions again.
They advised that I can file the a $0 amendment with a comment explaining that there should be a recovery rebate credit and hope that IRS reads it and applies it for me. I doubt that's how IRS works.

All I need to do is to set ln 30 on my 1040-X and it sounds like it's impossible using Turbo Tax software and I'll have to buy a different software or file a paper amendment.

[ErnieS0]

You can download a copy of your online tax file and use TurboTax CD/Download to amend your return. Contact support and tell them you need to amend your return with CD/Download because you are not able to do it with TurboTax Online.

To download your tax file, tap Tax Tools in the left column, then Tools. In the center box "Tools Center" select Save your 2022 return to your computer.

Once TurboTax is installed on your computer and you're opened your return, type amend in Search. Then Jump to amend.

If you are able to find the stimulus section,

1. Tap Forms in the top right.
2. In the left column, select Form 1040. Go to line 30.
3. Click on the box and tap the magnifying glass that will appear to the left. That will open the Recovery Rebate Credit Worksheet.

[mmdz]

I just wasted another 45 minutes of my life on call with support so they can figure out that it's impossible in online version. I was told that I can manually fill these forms myself (outside of turbotax) or if I want a standalone version I have to BUY IT even though I already paid for an online version that is incapable of amending my return.

[DawnC]

You can't amend a 2020 tax return in the Online version - you will be sent a link to the desktop software to install and complete the amendment.   Online only does amendments for the current year.  When you sign in to your Online account and scroll down - you have to choose Amend next to your 2020 return.    On your Tax Home page, scroll down to Your Tax Returns and Documents.   Then go to tax year 2020.    @mmdz 

[mmdz]

This is incorrect. Online does support amending 2020 return, it just doesn't prompt me to update stimulus stuff. And I would gladly get a link for a standalone version, but support people told me I would need to buy it (without confidence that it will be able to update the field that I need to update).

[DawnC]

The 2020 version of TurboTax has the recovery rebate entries.   The online version does not because it is only for the 2022 tax returns.   When you sign in and scroll down to Your Tax Returns and Documents and then click on Tax Year 2020 - - what does the screen say when you click Amend?    

If you paid for TurboTax Online for tax year 2020, then you will get you a copy of the desktop software FOR 2020 that you need to prepare the amendment.   However, if you did not purchase the Online 2020 software, support will not provide the desktop version, you would need to purchase it.    

The 2022 software, online or desktop does not have entries for the recovery rebate - - You need the 2020 software to report Recovery Rebates.    Online only supports the current year.    @mmdz 

[mmdz]

It starts the amendment process and gives me my old 2020 forms, income etc (but it doesn't ask for stimulus anymore). It even allows me to efile (but I didn't because I couldn't update what I needed). I went through all of that with 2 separate support people.

But now by clicking around even more I was able to get a standalone license for free - contrary to what the support person told me over the phone! I will try that, thank you for pointing me that direction.