Why doesn't the refund meter drop to zero when I start an amendment? I paid the $7,028 due, but when I start an amendment it starts showing $3,074 of tax due.

[jbbmillar]

I paid the $7,028 due with the original filing, but when I start an amendment it zeros the state due, but shows $3,074 due before I make any changes.  Shouldn't they both zero out?

[SteamTrain]

Hard to know ....  you shouldn't be attempting to amend right now.

The proper final Federal 1040X forms are not expected to be software ready until 18 Feb....but the way things are going..it could be March.  SO the proper links to the various lines on the forms may not be in there yet.

Once the 1040X forms are finalized, you should be able to review what the problem is in "Forms Mode" using the Desktop software  (not sure what you could do to check the various lines with the Online software).

[jbbmillar]

I need to clarify that I'm trying to amend my 2019 return before completing my 2020.  And the meter not zeroing is the Fed Tax due.

[SteamTrain]

Ahhh....correct, "normally" the Fed would zero out too...but might not in some rare situations.  1) Th IRS made a very late change to one of their forms for 2019...like something like June, long after 99% of folks had filed.   It didn't affect many...but that could have changed your file, though $3k sounds a bit much....seem to recall it had to do with a tax calculation using Schedule D...but I could be mistaken.  2)   IF you made any changes in your tax file AFTER you e-filed and it was accepted, the tax software actually does track the change...or at least it did for me in a couple tests I did  (TTX hasn't confirmed this that I know of )....and the amend start pops that up right away.

The only way for you to see what's going on is for you to look at a printout of your former 2019 1040 tax forms, and then look at the new  1040X in Forms Mode, and look line-by-line to see what has changed.  It's possible that you didn't really enter your original 7k payment properly, and you need to reflect that on the proper line....or find something else that looks inconsistent.....unfortunately there could be any number of things gone wrong and there's no way for any of us to work that out for you.

One critical thing you need to do, is to keep and entirely separate copy of the original filing, and only amend a second/third/4th copy of it and never work directly on the original.

[jbbmillar]

StreamTrain, I'll take a look at what you said.

FWIW, I was on the phone with TT regarding this a couple of days ago.  The tax expert said the usual caller was asking why the amount due went to zero; she hadn't heard of it not going to zero.  She was discussing this with someone in the background, but they were having trouble seeing my data.  We were working it when my AirPods died, the call dropped and by then after hours for the help desk.  They sent me an e-mail saying completed, but with a contact follow up number if follow up is needed, which it clearly does.

I made working copies of the original file with the results (note, TT has been fully updated). 

Copy 1 - original unchanged return.  Shows Fed due $7,028, State $2,609

Copy 2 - original with deductions corrected.  Shows Fed due $8,321, State $3,441.  Additional tax of +$1,293 and +$832 from original return (copy 1).

Copy 3 - is the original copy 1 with an amendment started, but no changes made.  Shows Fed due $3,074 (not zero), State due $0

Copy 4 - original copy 1 with same changes as made in Copy 2, i.e., original amended with corrected deductions.  Shows Fed due $4,367, State $832.  The delta to copy 3 of +1,293 and +$832 is the same as the increase from simply revising the original copy 1.

Looks to me like there is a programing error that would have me over paying for the change by $3,074.  I'll reply to the e-mail and try to follow up on-line when I have more time.

[jbbmillar]

As best as I can tell, TT isn't accounting for the amount tax balance due and paid with the original return.  I had to correct both the Federal and State additional taxes paid to get to the total tax as calculates when I simply revise the return.

Time to move on.