It is standard in tech support to have level 2 and 3 technicians to elevate issues to when level 1 cannot solve the problem. The problem I had was not an IRS problem. I did precisely what the IRS required and it worked. Eventually. Why it took about a dozen times for Turbo Tax to properly transmit the data to the IRS, I don't know.
I do know, the TT Tech support person had to find an article on the TT website (the same one I found before I called) read it verbatim to me, then told me that married filing joint I would have to file by mail.
In a standard tech support center, my call would have been bumped up to someone with more technical and problem solving knowledge who deals with more complex issues. Apparently TT only has tech support to read what is already available to users on their website.
Problem was solved despite TT support. I efiled, I got my return.
