Thanks @HollyP
Initially I read the Line 8 instructions as NOT having a comma - so
"If you were self-employed, filing federal Schedule SE as a member of the clergy, had church employee income, or are filing federal Schedule C as a statutory employee, use this amount on line 4a of Worksheet B of the instructions for line 27 of Form 1040. Complete the federal worksheet and enter the amount from Step 6 of EIC Worksheet B on line 1 of this schedule."
So - I assumed it was ONLY for "self-employed filing federal Schedule SE as a member of the clergy" etc. which I am not. So I did not go down that rabbit hole. BUT, in re-doing it, let me see if I can follow your path:
MN worksheet line 8 says to subtract Line 7 [which is Lines 4+5+6 which are all intentionally left blank, so ZERO] from Line 3, so essentially Line 8 starts out the same as Line 3. Then I think instructions say to take that Line 8 value and use the Federal EIC Worksheet B for Line 27, but CHANGE the value in Line 4a (which is not zero for me on federal return, but is small) to be this initial Minnesota worksheet Line 8 value (essentially 1040 Line 1z)?? and then flow through the federal worksheet AGAIN but specifically for MN? Which would have me NOT eligible per the federal form round 2, copying Line 4b forward to Line 6 on federal Worksheet B, then moving that to M1WFC Line 1??
Those Minnesota instructions sure are confusing and the agent who spoke with me by phone must have been incompetent. THANK YOU for tracking down at least what was happening. Now I will follow up with Minnesota. Ugh.
Thanks again @HollyP
