If entering a 0 for your prior year AGI doesn't work, DO NOT MAIL in your tax forms if you expect a refund. I mailed mine 3 months ago and just called the IRS. Many IRS office have not opened their mailrooms yet, which has been closed for over 3 months. So, what they say on-line about them not having delays in processing your tax return because of COVID-19 is not true. With a 3-month backlog in paper tax forms it might take 4-6 months before you get your refund. I was told to call back in 30 days.
IRS phone number is [phone number removed]. I followed this phone tree
1- English
2- Call about refund
2 - Other questions
1 - Form Submitted by mail
3 - All others
2 - Other questions
5 - Detailed review
1 - joint
enter SSNO
Enter spouse SSNO ( I was slow in entering her SSNO and when I entered a 1, I was put in a queue to speak with someone.
I am very frustrated with TurboTax right now. I lost my job and am relying on this money. I was refused a refund because I was told that I paid to have TurboTax "Calculate" my taxes and that that they don't guarantee free online submission. The 5 free on-line submissions are the reason why I purchased TurboTax. They admitted this is their bug and not the IRS but that's only after my call was escalated. Everyone else from TurboTax said this was an IRS bug.
After I mailed my return, I found out that I could have entered my tax forms with several other on-line sites for free. The IRX also allows on-line free submissions if your gross income was under $12,200 ($24,400 for married couples).
TurboTax has refunded some people their cost so I don't know why they won't refund everybody. The bug they have affects people who are filing their return after the loss of their spouse in that tax year. If they would ave admitted this, I would NOT have purchased TurboTax this year but would have continued to purchase from them in future years since they are up-front about a bug they can't fix. Now I can't trust them since it's more important for them to collect a few bucks from a new widower and to make them wait to receive their refund. I know they are not responsible for COVID-19 but their policy proves they cannot be trusted. I would have been ok if their recommendation was to use someone else to file a return online.
Be cautious with TT. I know I won't trust them any more after using them for over 15 years.
