I think that TurboTax changed a bit since my last posting. Now, it says that it can't handle the import before I even specify which account to use. i.e. right after I authenticate to Fidelity, TurboTax tells me to mail the 1099B and stops right there. Previously, it only failed after I selected, and imported, the "large" 1099B.
I had some thoughts about the situation and came to the conclusion that I could enter summary info for short term and long term transactions which had been reported to the IRS in TurboTax. Since it was reported, they do not need the detail.
That leaves only the detail on the transactions which had NOT been reported to the IRS. I searched the 188 page PDF of my 1099B for "long-term transactions" and found the 34 unreported transactions on pages 113 and 114. I searched the 222 pages of my wife's report and found the 9 unreported transactions on page 128.
So, instead of submitting the 400 pages, I only had to send 3. Better than that, I found I could submit the transactions individually in TurboTax. I had to select "one sale at a time" and enter the detail.
With this done, I don't have to submit any separate papers with the return!
Entering the 43 transactions was a bit tedious, but I was pleased to have this option.
I have a few suggestions for the data entry on "Tell us about your 1099-B", if anyone at TurboTax is listening.
1) When clicking to enter, it would be helpful to default to "one at a time" if the last on was "one at a time".
2) In the data entry, it would be helpful if the prior stock name was the default. In my case, all 34 were the same stock (well, fund). Yes, I just pasted it, but it would have saved time. In my wife's 9 entries only 3 were the same stock.
3) in the data entry, it would be nice if the category was defaulted to the prior one as well. In my case, all 43 sales were "long term not reported", which is 6 down-arrows in the category menu.
In order of convenience and time-savings, I suggest the priority is (1), (3), (2) for the changes.
