Why sign in to the Community?

  • Submit a question
  • Check your notifications
Sign in to the Community or Sign in to TurboTax and start working on your taxes
Returning Member
posted Mar 4, 2022 10:44:28 AM

TT Business doesn't do math correctly!

I've entered 9 values into the "common business expenses" page and they total up to 6480,  However, when I click "continue" to go back to the deductions page, it shows a total of 7077.   Hard to trust a product that doesn't do math correctly...  and that's it's main job!

0 4 633
4 Replies
Expert Alumni
Mar 4, 2022 1:07:30 PM

Have you entered an asset that TurboTax is calculating Depreciation Expense for in addition to your actual expenses?

 

Can you clarify the types of Expenses you have entered?

Returning Member
Mar 4, 2022 2:19:47 PM

Hi AliciaP1,  In the "Common Business Expenses" I entered values for advertising, computer supplies, insurance, legal, repairs, supplies, tools, training, and travel.   Once I click "continue", which brings me back to the  main deductions page, the total displayed there is not correct.  It's off by about $600.  I do have assets that I've listed in the "Business Asset Summary" section,  and they total up to ~$30,000 in depreciation.... roughly 4 times the common business expenses.  There doesn't seem to be any reason TT should conflate depreciation  with common business expenses.  Thanks 

Expert Alumni
Mar 5, 2022 5:55:16 AM

It would be helpful to have a TurboTax ".tax2021" file that is experiencing this issue.

 

You can send us a “diagnostic” file that has your “numbers” but not your personal information.  If you would like to do this, here are the instructions: 

 

At the top menu in the black line at the top of the page go to Online. 

  1. From the menu, select Send Tax File to Agent. 
  2. You will see a message explaining what the diagnostic copy is.  Click Send and then you will get a Token number. 
  3. Reply to this thread with your Token number. This will allow us to open a copy of your return without seeing any personal information.  

We will then be able to see exactly what you are seeing and we can determine what exactly is going on in your return and provide you with a resolution.

Returning Member
Mar 5, 2022 2:05:23 PM

Thanks.  I found the problem; TT erroneously adds (to "common business expenses") in a value from another section (amortized startup costs, which is in the "depreciation" section ) without telling you.  Both values are in the parent "deductions" section.  It's a very poor design.  At a minimum, the program should tell you that it is doing this.