had some tax exempt interest on 1040 Line 2a $848 that I couldn't figure out. I clicked on it to be taken to the source... and went to the intetest income smaret worksheet Schedule B, Nothing was there . Then right clicked on the 1040 Line 2a block and read the DATA SOURCE.
Which said:
"1040/1040SR Wks : Tax Exempt Interest
From Interest Income Smart Worksheet (Schedule B), tax exempt interest, plus
Exempt-Interest Dividends Smart Worksheet (Schedule B), plus
tax-exempt interest from Schedules K-1 for Partnerships, S Corps, and Estates & Trusts,
MINUS
adjustments to tax-exempt interest from Forms 1099-INT and 1099-OID Worksheets"
So I checked all those smart worksheets and K1s... and saw NOT one cent of tax exempt interest.
So I went to Tool>My Tax Data, and started scrolling through... looking for that $858 (really, there's no "search" tool to find a number in my return... big lack!). And didn't find $858. But I DID find $857.66. and went to that, and found a 1099-Div that I had IMPORTED, that had, in Box 11 Exempt-interest Dividends, that $857.66
So I asked myself, WHY didn't that show up in the smart Dividend worksheet? So I right clicked on that line, and selected About Box 11.
And here's what I read:
"EXEMPT-INTEREST DIVIDENDS:
Use Form 1099-DIV Worksheet to enter exempt-interest dividends, which are income dividends paid to you from a mutual fund or other regulated investment company earned on federally tax-exempt securities, such as state municipal bonds.
Exempt-interest dividends will NOT be listed on Schedule B, but will be included on Form 1040, line 2a as tax-exempt interest."
So, thanks a lot Turbo Tax for bum doping me about the source of data of 1040 Line 2a. Your go to source function doesn't take me to all the sources, and your Data Source guidance about the block is incomplete.
ANOTHER hour spent on my tax return I'll never get back. Hopefully, this will help others find the hidden sources of the numbers that Turbo Tax fails to mention in their Data Source for Box 2a... as well as some ways for looking for the information (don't forget the numbers are rounded on some forms, and not on others... What would be REALLY helpful in trying to track down random numbers with no apparent source would be if I could enter a number like 858 in a search field and have the option of selecting to search for any number that would round to 858 anywhere in my return, worksheets, or supporting documents....hint hint, TurboTax.
