I've prepared an amended 1040X return in TT (download/desktop version), but when I try to e-file it, TT says "it looks like you haven't e-filed your 1040 through TT" and won't let me e-file the 1040X. But I did e-file my 1040 with the same version of TT, just two weeks ago; I was careful not to download any updates to TT since then and am using the same version that I prepared and e-filed my return with. Why doesn't it see my record of e-filing and how do I fix this so I can e-file my 1040X?
@Lizgirlll , since you are using desktop version , I would (a) first update to the latest level; (b) open the TurboTax and it should show the filed/prepared return as filed. (c) If not then, there is some issue here -- because when you go through all the steps of filing and paying ( for the state return filing, not preparing ), then it should ask for you bank details, your id / driver's license etc. etc. and then transmit the return. Once that is done Turbo will close. You should then receive an email and/or text message telling you of the return has been accepted by the IRS and/or the State.
If you do not remember having gone through these steps , then you need to file the return. If that is your case then do not file an amended return, just correct the original -- open the original, save it then make changes, save it with a different name ( so you know this is correct one ). Then go through all the checks and file the returns.
Is there more I can do for you ?
pk
Hi pk,
Thanks for your suggestions; unfortunately the problem persists and TT says I have not filed my return yet when all indications are that I did. On April 18 I had gone through all the steps of e-filing that you describe (paying for the state return etc.) and TT transmitted the return and closed. I subsequently received emails from TT stating that both my federal and state returns were transmitted and accepted.
Today I tried the following: 1) updated TT to the latest version. 2) Opened the same April 18 .tax2021 file that was saved after transmitting. The screen that comes up says: "Welcome back to TurboTax. First let's check the status of your returns," with button to click that says "Check e-filing status now". When I click that, it says "You haven't e-filed a return yet." So I tried e-filing again just to see if it hadn't gone through before, but I got: "Transmission failed. The submission is a duplicate of one that was previously received... Please contact customer support... Looks like we've had a technical hiccup." Then if I go back and click on e-filing status, it still says "You haven't e-filed a return yet," so there is some sort of glitch.
I noted that the original .tax2021 file is 3.1 mB, but after I re-open it with TT, and experience the above message about not having filed, TT saves it as 2.8 mB. Not sure if this has to do with the updated version being more compact or if TT isn't reading something in the original. I retrieved the original 3.1 mB file from my TimeMachine backup and tried again, but got the same thing.
So I'm at a loss for how to file an amendment, which I need to do, since TT does not recognize that I have filed. Or have I really filed?
Any further guidance would be appreciated.
Until you get ACCEPTED message from IRS, you have not e-Filed your tax return.
Prepare your revised return with any corrections or additional information.
When you FILE that return, there will be no need to amend.
Hi fanfare,
I tried transmitting a revised (corrected) return as you suggested, but got the same message that transmission failed as this is a duplicate submission. This is in contradiction to what TT says when I click on 'check e-filing status', which says that I have not yet e-filed.
I exited TT and re-opened it, and the first screen is a warning message stating: "Remember, due to unexpected transmission problems, your returns may not have been filed electronically."
Is there a risk that my original return, allegedly e-filed on April 18, was not actually transmitted by TT even though I subsequently got the emails from TT saying both my federal and state returns were accepted?
The ACCEPTED message comes from IRS even if TurboTax makes it look like it comes from TurboTax.
You didn't say before that your e-File was ACCEPTED.
If you call IRS they can confirm that your return is received. That's about all they will be able to tell you.
Reporting back after phoning TT Support yesterday and finally getting transferred to an agent at the 'Resolution Desk'. She could check and confirm that my 2021 return had been successfully e-filed through TT and was accepted by the IRS. However she didn't have an answer for why my desktop TT software is showing that I have not yet e-filed, despite taking a close look with me granting her screen-sharing access.
Regardless, she said even if my TT did properly show I had e-filed my 1040, she doubts I could use the desktop version of TT to e-file an amended return. She said with the TT Online version, you can e-file amendments, but with TT Desktop, there can be limitations and often it's not possible. So if I need to file an amended fed and state return, I'll need to print out everything and mail it.
I also let her know that the only reason I need to amend my return is that after filing, I noticed that TT made an error in essentially importing one of my 1099's twice. It was imported with two different titles and different dollar amounts, but one was basically a duplicate of the other and thus my income is overestimated. Wish I'd noticed this before filing! At this point I will wait to see if the IRS catches and corrects this in processing my return; if not, I will mail them a bunch of paper! Thanks for your help.
@Lizgirlll , extremely relieved and happy that you could confirm that indeed you have filed and been accepted. However, I disagree with the agent that you cannot/ should not file an amended return using your desktop -- that would be bad , bad. I have done this in the past with no issues and I will try with one of my filed returns to the point just before transmission and see what happens..
I was going to suggest that if your desktop for some unknown reason ( shutting down TT before saving the filed return or similarly erased / corrupted marker for having filed ), try telling TurboTax that you are going to file by mail -- let it go through all the ritual-- so it thinks you have filed by mail. save, shut down etc. Now come baxk and power up your machine, open TurboTax , and now ask for amending a return and see what happens.
On waiting for the IRS to catch the duplicate entry of a 1099, it may or may not catch it --- they always catch missing ones but are happy to accept your version of an additional 1099 / income. Suggest waiting for the processing of your filed return to be completed and then file an amended return.
Is there more I can do for you ?
Hi pk,
Thanks for your continued interest and help! I followed your suggestion i.e. try telling TT that I am going to file by mail -- let it go through all the steps so it thinks I have filed by mail. Save, shut down. Then re-start my computer, re-open TT.
When I powered up and opened TT, I was at the "Welcome back” screen showing four options under "Manage Your Returns" including: start a new return; amend a return; open a different return; or
get more time to finish your taxes by filing an extension. I chose ‘amend a return’ and was able to prepare my amendment. However, when I tried to e-file it, I got this message: “Unable to e-file. It looks like you’ve prepared a federal amended return form 1040X. It also looks like you haven’t e-filed the 1040 through TurboTax. To e-file the 1040X through TurboTax, you must have e-filed the 1040 through TurboTax. What you can do is to print and file the 1040X by mail.”
Perhaps there is a corrupted marker in my TT so it will never recognize that I e-filed and hence I can't submit the amendment electronically.
I do agree with you that I can't assume the IRS will catch the duplicate 1099 entry, and I will mail the amended return once my filed return is processed. The TT support agent did advise to wait to send an amended return until the IRS has processed the original return as otherwise things can get messy.
I appreciate all your advice, many thanks!
If you changed your filing option to US Mail, TurboTax is not going to let you e-File Form 1040-X.
Somehow TurboTax has gotten confused about your 1040 tax return.
Hi, I am having same problem (also desktop) same error. Have you had any luck?
No, I did not find a way to e-file an amended return. The TurboTax agent I spoke to, including granting screen access to look at the problem, told me it usually isn't possible with the desktop version as there are "limitations" and I should file the amended return by paper. That feels like a hassle since the federal + state amended returns amount to 100 pages of paper.
If you should happen to find a resolution, please let me know. Good luck!
You don't need to send all the pages to amend. And you should be able to efile an amended return from the Desktop program.
First you need to update your original return with the filing status before you amend. For the Desktop program you have to check the filing status inside the program. Open your return and go up to menu item
File > Electronic Filing > Check Electronic Filing Status
Then save your return with the status. Go to File-Save. And then close and reopen the program for it to update.
BUT I've been seeing posts that the Desktop program isn't updating the filing status. There might be a problem with that. So that might be why it won't let you efile. It doesn't know the original efile was accepted.
Thank you for the tip! I took your suggestion and when I am at the home screen it says "Status: Return Accepted", as well as when I go to File->Electronic Filing->Check Electronic Filing status. Still says unable to efile. It does appear to be a bug in the desktop program, so hopefully an answer will be released soon. I'll keep trying.
A possible suggestion from @Anonymous_ --
If you told TurboTax to save your files on desktop, then everytime you work on the return, it creates a temp. backup, marked with a tilde in front of the name of the file. I think it often leaves it there and updates it the next time you open the file to work on the return, thus for safety's sake it always keeps a back-up while changes are being made. This opens up the possibility , especially after filing the return, to either select the directly ( by double clicking the tilde file on the desktop ) or choosing this from the list of files and thus TurboTax on the desktop would be out-of-step with the actual situation. In my personal I always make changes and save these often with a different suffix, but even here I can choose the wrong file because TurboTax doesnot/cannot warn you that you are on the wrong file.
While this scenario explains one possible way that a user might end-up in this situation, it may or may not be the actual situation. But it would be interesting if @dmch1 and @Lizgirlll could look in their TubroTax files and see if this may be the situation.
pk
Thanks for sharing the suggestion from @tagteam. I tried it but did not find any temp backup files being created on my desktop. With TurboTax open, I searched my computer for tilde files as well as those with suffix .tax2021 but came up empty for temp files. I'm using a Mac desktop and wondering if that makes a difference in whether and how temp backup files are created and stored.
One thing I noticed that may or may not be relevant concerns file size: the .tax2021 file that was saved upon successful completion of e-filing my return is 3.1 mB. When I re-open this file using TT, which leads to the (incorrect) message that I have not e-filed a return, TT then saves the .tax2021 file as 2.7 mB, smaller than the original. Makes me wonder if the original file contains information that I e-filed, but this somehow got corrupted so that when re-opened, TT cannot read this and saves a smaller file omitting this.
Having noted this, every time I've tried one of these suggestions, I have used the original tax file that was saved when I e-filed. I go into my Mac's TimeMachine backup to retrieve this file. I also tried retrieving the version of TT that I used to e-file, in case any of the subsequent updates made it incompatible with reading my e-file history, but this didn't make any difference. After running into all these dead ends, it seems like I'll need to paper file the amended return once my e-filed return is processed.
When you amend on paper,
Do not include your old 1040 nor your revised 1040 because the Form 1040-X reflects any changes there and becomes your new tax return.
Include any new/corrected tax document only if it shows federal tax withheld, and include in order only those Sequence Numbered tax Forms and Schedules that changed or were added due to your amendment.
Attachment Sequence Number is on all the forms and Schedules that come after 1040.
Mail to the address shown for your location in the Instructions for Form 1040-X.
@Lizgirlll , it is users like you that give us the "energies " to continue in this quest to help others. We are volunteers and so appreciation like yours goes longways. Thank you very much.
regards,
pk