The IRS has not finalized the form and not given us permission to update our software. Form 8853, Long-Term Care Insurance Contracts is estimated to be available sometime on 2/18/2021.
You must file Form 8853 if any of the following applies.
You (or your employer) made contributions for 2020 to your Archer MSA.
You are filing a joint return and your spouse (or his or her employer) made contributions for 2020 to your spouse's Archer MSA.
You (or your spouse, if filing jointly) acquired an interest in an Archer MSA or a Medicare Advantage MSA because of the death of the account holder. See Death of Account Holder, later.
You (or your spouse, if filing jointly) were a policyholder who received payments under an LTC insurance contract or received any accelerated death benefits from a life insurance policy on a per diem or other periodic basis in 2020. See the instructions for Section C, later.
You (or your spouse, if filing jointly) received Archer MSA or Medicare Advantage MSA distributions in 2020.
Related information:
This does not appear to be correct. The 2020 version of Form 8853 has been available on the IRS website for some time, and there is no mention of any expected update.
We have to submit our forms to the IRS and state departments of revenue for approval and do rigorous testing before including them in our software. We are working as quickly and efficiently as we can. For current information on forms availability please click on the applicable link below:
Form 8853 should be available February 18.
[Edited links | 2/18/2021 7:26am PST]
I am also waiting on this form approval to use for a MSA.
Your availability list states that Form 8853 won't be available until 3/31/22. Why such a long delay? I have the 1099-LTC that provides me the information to complete this form, which is the only item holding up my filing.
Besides, the Block website indicates that this form is currently availability. We are seniors and we would like to file as soon as possible. Do I have to switch to Block to get my taxes filed?
I called the IRS in DC last week. The lady told me 8853p2 was available two months ago?
yet another form Turbo tax can't handle. All other tax software companies are up to date with forms and filing.
Time to switch.. H&R block..
looks like we need to. This has been a very bad bad bad year for turbo tax with forms. I assume their business will drop. Hopefully their CEO catches wind of this once the see the drop in sales.
This is ridiculous! A fairly common form - and they say it won't be available till the end of March! At least some of the competitors already have it available - why should we continue to use TurboTax when they can't get needed forms timely.
This on top of all of the issues with entering the activation code on many computers - this issue was around for LAST filing season and STILL has not been resolved!
Please understand that the IRS must first approve TT's version (programming) of its form(s) before TT can release them.
@GaryCPA Are you a paid tax provider. If so, please note that TT is not licensed for your use.
As Gary mentioned, several of the competitor's have form 8853 available, including Block, which I checked myself. Why is TT asleep at the switch?
If it's any of your business, in my 35 years as an active accountant, I never ONCE prepared a single tax return for pay - not one time! Only my personal returns and those of family, never more than 3 a year - and, again, never was paid for a single one!
As far as IRS approval - TT's competitors have the form in a usable format - why is TT so far behind? It's mid-Feb, competitors have theirs approved and it's going to take over another month for TT to get approval? With all the problems, this may be the last year I use TT - and I've been using it for many years!
TT appears to have dropped the ball when other tax software companies have the from 8853 approved for use.
With fraudulent claims becoming more common, especially for those filing later rather than sooner, I would think TT would push to get all needed forms ready ASAP. At a minimum TT should be advising users waiting for forms to be approved by the IRS to apply for a security PIN before someone else attempts to file a return in their name fraudulently. TT might even be proactive and add that feature to their software for us as an act of good faith?
YEP! I just gave up and purchased H&R Block TaxAct. Transferring data to that now. Will not be coming back to Turbo Tax again! Between this LATE form (estimated March 31!) and the trouble entering the activation code screen - it's not worth it.
I did the same thing. Filed my return 2 days ago and have received confirmation that my return has been accepted!
Forget TT!
It may take longer for one form or another to show up in TurboTax for multiple reasons. Our goal is to provide you with the most accurate information possible. As part of this process, we communicate often with the taxing agencies. I have provided the Forms availability link below so you are able to check the dates for Form 8853:
IRS forms availability table for TurboTax individual (personal) tax products
But H&R Block and others have this form available NOW> You won't until March 31! Why should we have to wait that long!
I won't be using TT in the future! Very bad service!
I do not want to lose all the work I did on TurboTax. Can it be exported/imported to the H&R Block program?
Thanks everyone.
I agree - but it wasn't too bad. I used TT to input (manually) into Block. My major 1099 was imported from my brokerage - so that was easy. When I ended up with the same result, I knew I had it all in.
I'm wondering if IRS's delay has anything to do with Intuit bailing on the free federal filing program this year?
It is now February 25th and my tax return is all ready to file except for this form. It now says it won't be available until March 31st! I this for real? Is every person in the US that has a MSA going to have to wiat until after that date to file?
Switch to H&R Block like I did! TT has been my "go to" for many many years. Not any more. After all of the trouble getting the activation code to work (an issue that started about a year ago on last year's software - and STILL isn't fixed), now this - I'm moving on! Luckily, after I complained about the activation code issue, they refunded my money, so I had no investment in my TT software. And the Block software is cheaper. Not sure I like the interface as well - but at least it works and the forms are available for use!
So we are told to file early to reduce the risk of fraudulent filings and TT cant get a simple Form 8853 LTC completed so we can file. Posts over the last several weeks have said mid February and know says 3/31/22. Really - How do we get a refund so we can use another tax service so we can file promptly? Long time TT user and this is a first especially given this the a simple form 8853 which the IRS has completed months ago.