TurboTax Desktop 1040-X Column A incorrect after entering amend mode (refund changes without edits)

[noviceattax]

I am trying to amend my 2024 return using TurboTax Home & Business Desktop and am seeing unexpected behavior immediately after entering amend mode.

Steps:

• I open my already-filed return (originally filed with $0 federal refund)

• I go to: Personal → Other Tax Situations → Other Tax Forms → Amend a Return

Issue:
As soon as I click “Amend,” the refund meter changes (both federal and state), even though I have not made any edits yet.

When I check Form 1040-X in Forms mode:

• Column A (original amount) shows a higher income than what I actually filed

• Column B shows a negative adjustment that brings it back to my correct income

• Column C ends up matching what I originally filed

So it looks like TurboTax is reconstructing my original return incorrectly and then “correcting” it within the amendment.

Questions:

1. Is this expected behavior in TurboTax Desktop amend mode?

2. Should Column A always match the originally filed return exactly?

3. Do I need to manually override Column A to match my filed return before making any changes?

4. If so, what is the correct way to do this without breaking the return?

I haven’t yet added my intended changes (rental Schedule E), because I want to resolve this first.

[ThomasM125]

No, that is not what is supposed to happen. Column A has to be the return as originally filed. You need to find out what the adjustment is in column B and then cancel the amendment, go back and enter those adjustments in the program, then start the amended return option again. That way column A will match what was originally filed.

[noviceattax]

@ThomasM125 ,  Thanks for the response. Yes, I expected the same that this is not what is supposed to happen. And as I described in the questions that Column A is somehow showing an increased income and so I am trying to find some suggestions on how to debug that. Can you please elaborate on what those steps could be? Thanks, for your help.

[VolvoGirl]

You need to delete the amended return and start over.   In the Desktop program all you have to do is go to Forms mode and delete the 1040X.  Then try to figure out what changed from your original return.   Do you have a printout or pdf of your filed return you can compare?  You can use the Forms mode to fix any changes you find and put your return back to the way you filed.   Then you can try amending again.

Do you still have the original .tax2024 return on your computer?   You can open that and try amending again.  And just ignore or delete this wrong one.   

[noviceattax]

@VolvoGirl  , Thanks a lot for the response.

Yes, I do have the .tax2024 file. I started amending from that only. The one that I saved after filing. 

I checked the 1040 in the forms mode for it and it is correct. It is still showing the correct AGI (the one that I e-filed with). However, it is the 1040-X which is loading incorrect AGI in Column A (higher by $1200) and then loading the correct (the one with which I filed) AGI in the Column B. I am not sure why it is loading that increase AGI in column A? It is higher by $1200. I am not sure how is that $1200 coming there?  Maybe this $1200 can give some hint? @ThomasM125 @VolvoGirl 

[ThomasM125]

The Form 1040 will reflect the changes you made when you prepare the Form 1040-X. So if it agrees with what you filed originally, then it must have been changed before you did the amended return. Column A on form 1040-X is reporting your original return plus the adjustment, that is why it is off. Then, you are making the adjustment again as part of the amended return, so that change is showing in column B.

What you need to do is cancel the amended return, then adjust your original return so it reflects what you filed. Then, enter your adjustment in the amend process.

[noviceattax]

@ThomasM125 ,

The original return (in the .tax2024 file and after reloading it and initiating the amendment) already reflects with what I filed. Now, when I switch to forms mode and check the form 1040, there also the original value (the one with which I filed) is correctly reflected.

It is the 1040-X which somehow in Column A (which is for Original income) is showing incorrect value i.e. $1200 more than the actual Original income. And this is happening even without me doing any amendment. Then in Column B (which is for Ammended income) it is showing my correct AGI, the AGI I filed with.

Ideally, in my case both the Column A and Column B should be exactly the same. And same as with what I originally filed. Because I have made no changes in the income at all. But column A is showing an inflated value by $1200.

I hope this makes it clearer. Please feel free to ask any follow up question you may have. @ThomasM125 @VolvoGirl . I appreciate your help.

[VolvoGirl]

There may have been an update that is changing your return.  You need to find out what changed and override it to reflect the actual filed amounts.  Do you have a copy of your filed return you can compare?  If not you may  have to get a copy from the IRS.  So if you open the file and before doing Amend, is it the same or different?    If it's different see if you can find what line is different.  

There must be something we are missing.  You might need to send in a diagnostic copy.  This creates an anonymous copy of your file which is stripped of your Personal Info and uploads it to a diagnostic database for tech support and gives you a token number to identify the file. 

If you are using the Desktop program use these steps:
Select Online (or Help for Mac) at the top of the screen.
Select Send Tax File to Agent.
Click OK.
Post the token number here in the forum.

@ThomasM125 

[noviceattax]

Yes, I have a copy of filed return and I did  compared the AGIs. I found that AGI in the filed return is matching the AGI in current form 1040 (after hitting the ammend) and in Column B of 1040-X. And only Column A of 1040-X is increased by $1200.

And also when I open the .tax2024 file with TT2024 and before doing the Ammend the refund meter shows the exact correct refunds that I received when filing.

I will look into the process of sending the diagnostic copy and will send later today or tomorrow, it if that is still needed.

@VolvoGirl @ThomasM125  

[noviceattax]

@VolvoGirl and @ThomasM125 ,

Please see both parts. Please feel free to ask for any clarification. I appreciate your help.

Part 1:
I verified the AGI in the form 1040 (in the forms mode) after loading the .2024tax file that I saved after filing and it was correct (same as what I filed witt).
However, I also noticed another thing and I think this could be related to the issue of inflated income in column A.  In the forms mode I also see that:

• There is a red exclamation mark next to Form 1040-X

• When I open the form, it highlights the spouse SSN field in yellow (see the screenshot below):

  

However:

• In that field my spouse's SSN is already entered correctly

• Filing status is also Married Filing Jointly

• I also verified the Personal Info section (in the easy step's mode) and that also has the correct SSN

But an interesting error message appeared when I started the smart check process. Please see this screenshot:

I am not sure if this is error is also stemming from some other source as for the additional income.

For additional context: My spouse got their SSN in early 2025 and we e-filed our 2024 Tax return with their SSN around Sep/Oct'25. For our 2023 return we used their ITIN which was e-filed in 2024 (Before April deadline).

Part 2:

You asked for Diagnostic tax file you need that for which one:

1. From the original .2024tax file, the one that used to file and without hitting the ammend button?
2. Or, of the one after hitting the ammend?

[DawnC]

Send the file with the amendment error.   And let us know if there are state returns included.  

[noviceattax]

Hello @DawnC, @ThomasM125,

I have sent a Diagnostic file and you can find its token here. For ensuring Privacy I have put that in the doc. I appreciate your help in debugging the issue. Please do not hesitate to let me know if you have any questions or need further clarification .

[VolvoGirl]

It is safe to post the Token number.   It is only used to look up your sanitized return.  Nobody can do anything with it.  It doesn't have any personal or tax info.    How is putting it in a Doc more safe?    And you also need to post what states you have.    

[noviceattax]

Thank you for following up @VolvoGirl .

It has California State.

I checked and found that TT has not 100% hidden personal info. Sharing in docs is safer as the token can be deleted once the issue is resolved and the content will not go through crawlers as well. Also, I checked and found that though TT has hidden most of the info but not 100% of personal info is hidden.

Further the link of the document that I have put is a Google doc link so we don't need to worry abut it being Fishy in anyway and it is viewable to all. I am pasting the visible link below.

Please let me know if you need any other info from me. Appreciate your help

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1KhNTzQGjmG89lpjdYIvcJdRvzZeP-fCw53Virq8kHnQ

[noviceattax]

@VolvoGirl, @DawnC and @ThomasM125 . Please let me know if you got chance to look at it. And if you need any other information from me. Please do not hesitate in asking any thing.

I want to finish this thing before the 2025 tax deadline so that I can file my 2025 return with correct basis. This bug is blocking that. Will appreciate your help in fixing the issue. Thanks.