Investors & landlords

If you do not need or want to aggregate any businesses, here is how to “un-aggregate” them in TurboTax Online or TurboTax Download/CD: 

1. Go to Delete a Form: In the left menu, select the dropdown arrow next to Tax Tools and then under that select Tools; in the pop-up window Tool Center, choose Delete a form.
2. Find the QBI Component form for the aggregated businesses.  Delete that QBI Component sheet.
3. Now, go to Review and start the review routine.
4. You will have an error for each business that no longer has a QBI Component form.  For each of those businesses, you will see the “primary” form for that business (Schedule C, Schedule E, K-1). It will be highlighted for Question A in the Qualified Business Income Deduction Smart Worksheet.
5. Double click in the highlighted Question A box, and you will get a pop-up asking you to link to a QBI component worksheet.  Create a new copy for that business (e.g., give it the name of that business).
6. Continue until you have created a separate QBI component worksheet for each business that you do not want to aggregate.

Note that you could also use these instructions to aggregate businesses.  Delete the QBI component worksheets for each business you want to aggregate, go to the Review, and link all the businesses to the same QBI component worksheet.  But, you will not be able to e-file your tax return and must print and mail the return.

If you want or need to aggregate any businesses, the return is still print and mail only in TurboTax.  TurboTax is working with the IRS to enable e-file for aggregated QBI businesses and the QBI netting/carryforward worksheet, but there is not a date when that will be available.

You'll need to decide whether or not you want or need to aggregate any businesses in 2019.  Once you aggregate, you must continue to aggregate in future years.  But, not aggregating last year does not preclude you from aggregating this year.    Refer to the IRS instructions for Form 8995-A for more information on aggregation.