My first attempt to e-file my son's return w/ TT resulted in rejection for an 8615 error. An important note: I elected NOT to use pre-TCJA rules, though I did check and uncheck the box while completing the interview. For my son's situation, using pre-JCTA rules resulted in a much higher tax burden, which is opposite to what the TT help implied. Once the return was rejected, TT provided little help, instead recommended waiting until after 3/19 to update TT and file again. There WAS a TT update posted but I learned via another thread on this forum that "Intuit has elected not to provide update release notes to the public in 2019"!!! So there is no way to know what (if any) correction to TT was made. Why no release notes Intuit?
I deleted the 8615 out of my return and re-accomplished the interview questions resulting in an identical form 8615: same tax, same refund, and "error free" response from TT program. I made sure NOT to check the 'pre-JCTA' box in case that was a source of the problem. I e-filed the return again (hoping/assuming that TT fixed whatever problem was there), resulting in another rejection.
I THEN used HR Block free online service to re-complete my son's taxes, resulting in the same return with an identical 8615. After attempting to e-file his return a third time, (wait for it...), his return was accepted by the IRS within 1 hour!
Inability to trust "error check", lack of clear instructions to correct an IRS rejection, not releasing program update notes (??), trying to charge customers CPA fees to fix a program error... why did I pay for this software?
That last solution says it all: Use HR block or another program!
