Bug with Startup Costs under Business Expenses

[Khanhqnguyen]

My wife and I have our own business. For example, my wife and I are a Dasher (worked for Doordash), we both receive our own 1099-NEC.  My startup costs and my wife's startup costs are also different, but it looks like the startup costs keep syncing for these two businesses.  

This is what I have

John -- Startup Costs 1,000

Elena --Startup Costs 1,000

If I change the startup costs for John, then it will change the startup costs for Elena.  I don't want that because John and Elena have different startup costs.  How can we fix this?

[MaryM428]

You do not enter an expense called startup costs.  You enter the type of expense for startup and then the date that the expense occurred.

You will want two separate business entries one for John and one for Elina.  You enter the startup costs for each business under that business.  Startup costs examples are:  Market research, travel costs, salaries, consulting fees, accounting and legal fees.  

If you had those expenses you enter each one in TurboTax.  They have to have happened before the business was opened.  

[Khanhqnguyen]

Yes, I spent about $100 on market research. My wife didn't have any startup costs.

After I was done working on my business income and expense. Then I edit my wife's business income and expenses. Weirdly, the $100 is there for the startup cost. If I remove the startup cost in my wife's business, then the startup costs also got removed from my business. 

[MaryM428]

If the error continues, then delete the startup costs and add the market research as other expenses on your business return.  Keep a record of the expense and how you entered it with your 2020 tax records.


@Khanhqnguyen