Why did TurboTax create a Form 8814 in my return? This is the 1st year I've included educational expenses for college.

[robertkirsch]

In past years I’ve filed a return for us (the parents) and a separate return for my high school age daughter.  She has a W-2 and investment (mutual fund) income.

I am trying to do the same (file two returns) this year. The new aspects are college educational expenses (I received Forms 1098-T and 1099-Q), which I entered on the parent’s return.

TurboTax is doing something new this year that I haven’t seen in the past. It has generated a Form 8814 for the parent’s return. (I assume this has been triggered because of the educational expenses.)  I don’t want to use the 8814 because I will be filing a separate return for my daughter.

Is it safe for me to delete the 8814 form the parent’s return?  Or should I move the educational expenses (1098-T & 1099-Q) to my daughter’s return? Or do something else?

[LinaJ2018 · Accepted solution]

Form 8814 is for parents who elect to report their child's interest and dividends. If you do so, your child does not have to file a return.  The program triggers the form because your daughter has an investment income.  It is irrelevant to your Form 1098-T.  Please see https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f8814.pdf.  Based on the requirements, since your child's income is not only from interest and dividends, very likely the form does not apply to you.  

If this form does not apply to your situation, simply remove this form from the program.  Here are the steps:

• Sign in to your account, select Pick up where you left off
• On your left, Select Tax Tools / drop down menu
• Select Tools
• Under Other helpful links, choose to Delete a form
• Select Delete next to Form 8814 and Continue with My Return to proceed

[state return]

I have a question regarding Form 8814 ($10,104.00) on my Virginia state tax return. I do not believe it should be there. I have no children under 29 years old I support and in school. It’s just my wife and I on this tax return.  Please help me to remove this information. Prior to file, I notice my VA state return suddenly jumped 300 to over a 1000 dollars. I don’t know where this Form 8814 information came from.

I need to remove Form 8814 from my state tax return as soon as possible!!!!!!!!!

It will cause big problems.

Leon Martin

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Email: [email address removed]