I think the issue might be related to being technically not allowed the deduction on federal because of the date of the divorce and recent tax law changes regarding destructibility of alimony. However I do still have to enter it so it will carry through to my MA state taxes (where it remains deductible). So I have to enter it,and be told "You're not eligible" so my MA return works.
That may be a unique set of conditions that triggers it. It drops the leading zero (like some software does, enter 013 and it calls it 13x-xx-xxx), and then declares the SSN invalid
