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New Member
posted Jan 31, 2021 12:02:07 PM

When entering in the stimulus payment do you enter the full amount you received or what you received as an individual?

We are a blended family that switches years of who claims the kids.

0 12 1240
12 Replies
Level 10
Jan 31, 2021 12:13:29 PM

You enter the amount that your received for the first and the second stimulus check for all of your dependents each year.

 

At the top of your tax return select Federal Review

 

 

That will take you to this screen where it asks if you have already received your stimulus payments.  If you received the first or second payment already, then select Yes and fill in the information.  If you did not receive any payment select No.  If you received the first payment only, fill in that amount and put zero (0) for the second payment.

 

When the screen is correct, you refund will be adjusted for the amount of stimulus payment that will be added to your 2020 refund.

 

 

Returning Member
Feb 16, 2021 8:34:08 AM

I cannot find any place to enter the stimulus amount we received in spring 2020. Going to "federal review" does not result in any question related to the payment. I am going in circles looking to an entry point.

Expert Alumni
Feb 16, 2021 8:46:56 AM

If you have not received one or more of your stimulus checks, you will receive your payment in the form of a Recovery Rebate Credit on line 30 of your 2020 Federal tax return when you file.

 

You can access your stimulus check choices by following these steps:  

  • Down the left side of the screen, click on Federal.
  • Across the top of the screen, click on Other Tax Situations.
  • At the screen Let’s keep going to wrap up.  Click on Let’s keep going.
  • At the screen Let’s make sure you got the right stimulus amount, click Continue.
  • At the screen Did you get a stimulus payment? you can update your stimulus check entries.

TurboTax will compare your one or two stimulus payment amounts to the computations within TurboTax.  The computations within TurboTax are based upon the information that you have entered into the tax software.  If you are due an additional amount, it will be issued as a Recovery Rebate Credit (RRC) on line 30 of the 2020 1040 tax return. 

 

 See also this TurboTax Help.

Returning Member
Feb 16, 2021 10:18:26 AM

I appreciate the rapid response.

 

I click on Federal, click on Other Tax Situations, nothing on my screen says “Let's Keep Going”.

 

How do I get to Let’s Keep Going?

 

If you don’t mind: I’m trying to work my way through adjusting estimated taxes for 2021. The“Enter Your Self Employment Income” entry windows don’t accept input, they seem distorted. Can you advise me on this?

 

Thanks very much.

Expert Alumni
Feb 16, 2021 10:45:34 AM

Here is an alternative to get to the Recovery Rebate Credit screens.

 

In TurboTax Online, to claim the Recovery Rebate credit please do the following:

  1. Sign into your account and continue from where you left off
  2. Click on Federal in the left-hand column, then on Federal Review on the top of the screen
  3. On the next page titled Let's make sure you got the right stimulus amount, click on Continue
  4. Follow the interview  
  5. TurboTax will determine whether you are entitled to any additional stimulus
  6. Any stimulus amount remaining due to you will show as a credit on line 30 of your form 1040.

Carefully answer the questions about how much you already received.

 

As I go through the steps to enter the self-employment income the same experience does not take place in TurboTax Online or Desktop.

 

The steps below should take you to the estimated tax entry for 2021.

 

Enter them in the Estimated and Other Income Taxes Paid section.

  1. With your return open, TurboTax Online or TurboTax Desktop
  2. Select Other Tax Situations > Other Tax Forms > Form W-4 and Estimated Taxes > Review or Start
  3. Continue to follow the screens to enter your information, including your self-employment.
  4. See the image below

Returning Member
Feb 20, 2021 1:39:26 PM

None of the responses are working. I’m using Turbotax Premier desktop. NOT the on-line version.

 

1) The stimulus/rebate issue: I have gone through Federal Taxes and Federal Review at least a dozen times. I cannot find any screen “Let’s make sure you got the right stimulus amount”. At no point can I find a place to enter the $2379.10 we received in 05/2020. I have tried starting from the beginning. No joy.

 

2) The estimated taxes for 2021 issue: I can get to the estimated taxes adjustment stage, but the entry fields are distorted and will not accept income inputs. The software is faulty. I need to change our projected 2021 income.

 

Other than that there are only a couple of small glitches in the software. But if I cannot resolve the stimulus/rebate issue and estimated tax issue my only alternatives will be to hire a professional or get a different tax package for now and the future. I’ve been using Turbotax for many, many years. I’d hate to let it go.

 

HELP!

Not applicable
Feb 20, 2021 2:50:07 PM

Since you are using the desktop version of Turbo Tax, be sure to click on "Check for Updates" and update your software if needed. If that doesn't work you can manually update your software.

Returning Member
Feb 24, 2022 2:52:41 PM

Sorry, I'm having the same issue on the desktop version and my software has been updated. What else can I/we try? Thx.

Expert Alumni
Feb 24, 2022 3:34:49 PM

In the Desktop version, click on Federal Review toward the upper right corner. The question about your stimulus payments should come right up. 

 

The program will tell you how much you should have received based on your 2021 tax return and you will be asked if you received that amount.

 

Answer Yes, if the amount is what you received. Answer No, if you received a different amount and then enter that amount. Do not guess, use the figures from your IRS letter or check your bank records. 

 

This thread was about the ERC questions in 2020, so the previous answers don't apply to the 2021 tax return. 

Returning Member
Feb 25, 2022 7:53:02 AM

Sorry, but that doesn't work. I selected the federal review option and I don't get the stimulous question.  What form is that information on so I can just enter it directly?

Expert Alumni
Feb 25, 2022 9:09:28 AM

Since you are using TurboTax Desktop:

 

Go to Forms

Right click Line 30 on your 1040 to highlight it in blue 

The right click the search (the magnifying glass) 

 

That should take you to your 1040/1040SR Wks

 

Repeat the steps above for that line 30

 

That should take you to your Recov Rebate Cr 

 

Scroll down and edit line 13. 

Enter what you received. 

Line 14 will adjust for the credit. 

 

The Recovery Rebate Credit will refund you (or lower your tax liability) for the amount of payments you did not receive but are eligible for.

 

 

 

Returning Member
Feb 26, 2022 12:54:32 PM

That worked, thanks, but I realized the issue really was that my income was too high so the option to enter the information wasn't offered to me during the Fed Review.  As a suggestion the software should tell you that instead of the poor user (me) thinking there is an issue with the software.