Get your taxes done using TurboTax

OK... I'll try to answer how the "fix" work for me and add some helpful tips along the way.  Wish TurboTax folks were more proactive and do more 'debugging'.  Along the way, this is what I found out...

1.- Initial form 2210 fix update released early on 2/26 seemed to work at first... until almost done with all my taxes, it resulted in a nasty crash where I could not relaunch TurboTax premier 2020.

2.- I had noticed before the crash that this new version was not "cleaning" correctly any data previously entered with wrong version on the actual form2210.  I had manually removed the "ghost" data from the form 2210 and I lost "confidence" in how clean the fix was as far as catching potential errors.

3.- Because of the crash, I had to totally uninstall the version of TurboTax Premier 2020. BTW, I discover that if you run TurboTax Desktop on a mac OS over Windows, Support is "on your own" pretty much.  And some on the support side will imply you are crazy to still run a desktop version rather than do your tax over the web/inb the cloud.  _:( !! Up to you to dig and try to find out anything thanks to google search.

4.- Once I was finally successful at recovering from that nasty crash, I noticed that TT folks had pushed a new patch to their 02/26/2021 initial release.  Made me realize how useful if TurboTax was clearly advertising a link so we know what is fix, what they thought was fixed but not fully, and what is newly fixed.  Just saying because again, if it exists, you have to go digging for it.  Made me look fondly back to 15-20 years ago when TurboTax Support was so good!

5.-  I decided to restart a brand new return instead of using my initial one, so all data, especially when coming to figuring out exact tax penalty due, had no chance to have been corrupted in prior versions.

6.- I used the Interview Steps and then double-checked and also review the form 2210.  I selected "NO" for Annualized calculation but selected "YES" to figure out the tax penalty based on actual dates the tax where withheld.

== In the end, because I also selected to pay everything now rather than by TurboTax default due date calculation, this saved me some $ out of my total tax due by reducing the penalty. 

== Note that when I called for support before the fix being released, I received a lot of misleading information.  I was also told than it did not really matter to figure out the penalty and I could let the IRS do it.  Actually it DOES matter: the earlier you can pay the full balance due, the less penalty you'll have to pay.  By setting the date to fully pay, I have total control instead of the IRS.   Another area of TurboTax "expertise" where I have lost confidence.

== As far as all the discussion about BOX D being checked on the form.  The method I used will result in box D being checked.  This seems correct in my situation since I selected to figure out the penalty on the date it was withheld and not by the IRS default quarters.

== As far as Form2210 being or not being included with the e-filing, I haven't yet checked but the TOTAL DUE listed on form 1040 clearly indicate the amount for the penalty on top of amount of tax due.  TurboTax added both numbers correctly.

7.- CONCLUSION:  I have been very unhappy with TurboTax handling of their form2210 bugs and release of the final form.  POSITIVE NOTE:  TurboTax version R19.040 with TPS Forms v2020.72.0.2 released later on 2/26 seems to be working now correctly.  TIPS:  If you think your current return is not calculating things correctly still, I strongly recommend started a brand new return from scratch (even if you curse TT software for having to do this) to save any doubts.  If you experienced crashes following the 2/26/2021 updates when working on a pre-existing return, you may want to consider un-installing TurboTax and then re-installing it first + starting a brand new return.

I hope this helps others.  Again, I am no tax expert and but have been extremely frustrated with the poor handling by TurboTax of any Form2210 issues since early February and the amount of misleading info or totally useless info by the TurboTax staff. I hope this helps some of you and save you some of my troubles.