Deductions & credits

The previous answer did not help you because you failed to mention that you DID have an HSA but didn't have HDHP coverage. Remember that we at AnswerXchange cannot see your tax return nor the screen you are on, so we are totally dependent on your description of the problem.

Now that I know the real situation, let me say this.

The IRS requires you to file form 8889 if there were any contributions to your HSA or distributions from your HSA. Just having an HSA does not require you to file form 8889.

If in fact you did not have any contributions to nor distributions from your HSA in 2018, then the correct thing to do is what I told you on the previous answer - delete the HSA data from the return.

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If you in fact did have activity in your HSA in 2018 but had no HDHP coverage, go to Plan B.

***Plan B***

Go through the HSA interview. Enter the 1099-SA if you had one. When you are asked if you had HDHP coverage for any month in 2018, check "no". Continue the end of the HSA interview.

In the Review, you may get new errors. If you do, this is how you address them:

1. If the Review asks you to check a box on Line 1 of form 8889, go ahead and check "Self" (It won't matter, but it will help get you clear of the Review). <== it won't matter because on the next section, you are checking "None" for each month (assuming that TurboTax doesn't remember from the interview - you are checking "self" here just to clear the review).

2. If the Review asks you to check a box in the Line 3 Smart Worksheet of form 8889, go ahead and check "None" for A1 through A12 (i.e., each month).

2. If the Review asks you to check a box in the Line 18 Smart Worksheet of form 8889, go ahead and check "None" for B1 through B12 (i.e., each month).

This should clear the form 8889 errors and let you e-file.