All Posts

In the conversation above, there was a mistake in the formula to distribute the box 14 SQD taxes across the cost basis values for the ESPP shares that were sold in in the tax year (2025).   If there are multiple ESPP stock sales, there will be multiple stock sale line items in the 1099B.   In order to get the total amount of taxes distributed across the cost basis values for each stock sale to match the value in box 14a SQD on the W-2, you need to multiply the ESPP sale tax value in 14a SQD by the number of shares sold in each ESPP sale line item. Then, divide by the total number of ESPP shares sold in in the tax year (2025). You can add up all the ESPP stock shares sold in the 1099B to get this denominator.   Add the associated fractional amount of the 14A SQD taxes for each stock sale to each respective stock sale cost basis line item.   This should distribute the amount of taxes paid for each sale proportionally and the total amount of taxes added to the total cost basis value should equal the 14A SQD tax value.   For example, if you add up all the updated cost basis values and subtract the total value of all the original cost basis values, you should get the value of the taxes paid and listed in 14a SQD in the W-2.  

The reject code IL1040-10100-1 indicates that the Secondary Taxpayer Drivers License number or State ID number did not match the Drivers License or State ID number on the Illinois Department of Revenue production file. To resolve this issue, you should: Verify that your driver's license information is correct and matches the IDOR records. If you filed an amended return, use the AGI from the latest accepted and processed return. Ensure that at least one of the following fields is present and matches the IDOR production file: Secondary IL-Pin, Secondary Prior Year AGI, or Secondary IL Drivers License/State ID Number. For further assistance, you can contact the Illinois Department of Revenue Taxpayer Assistance line.   when i ran into a similar problem, I indicated that my spouse had no ID, like a DL or state ID and it was for Illinois. this allowed me to e-file.   You can also delete the Il-pins or check here https://tax.illinois.gov/questionsandanswers/answer.59.html    you must supply some ID like last year's agi which if you filed jointly should be the same for both of you. Unlike Federal, Il wants AGI from last version of the 2024 return that was filed. 

There are several reasons you might not be able to use the deduction for student loan interest-----your income might be too high, you are being claimed as someone else's dependent, or you are filing married filing separately. https://ttlc.intuit.com/turbotax-support/en-us/help-article/tax-credits-deductions/claim-student-loan/L2DnkvT5h_US_en_US?uid=m6eg9k55  

You can enter this in the Education section.  In TurboTax Online: Navigate to Federal > Deductions & Credits > Education > Expenses and Scholarships (Form 1098‑T).  Check the box Received a scholarship, grant or other aid on the screen Did you have any of these common situations in 2025? Continue through the interview, answering the questions and input information from the 1098-T, if you have one.  Continue and enter the other education expenses like books and materials. Continue and you will see the screen Add any other financial aid. Here, you can enter the stipend as "Other scholarships, grants, or fellowships" Continue and answer the rest of the interview questions. TurboTax will treat any amount exceeding qualified expenses as taxable scholarship income.   Note, if you are not required to file a return, this may not be necessary. See the current filing requirements here: Who must file

Sorry--you are too late to do that.   You cannot change the tax year.   The current online program is for 2025 only.   Only a 2025 return can be prepared online and only a 2025 return can be e-filed.   Online preparation and e-filing for 2022, 2023, and  2024 is permanently closed. Note:  The desktop software you need to prepare the prior year return must be installed/downloaded to a full PC or Mac.  It cannot be used on a mobile device.   To file a return for a prior tax year  If you need to prepare a return for 2022, 2023, or 2024  you can purchase and download desktop software to do it, then print, sign,  and mail the return(s) https://turbotax.intuit.com/personal-taxes/past-years-products/ You may also want to explore purchasing the software from various retailers such as Amazon, Costco, Best Buy, Walmart, Sam’s, etc.   Remember to prepare your state return as well—if you live in a state that has a state income tax.   https://ttlc.intuit.com/turbotax-support/en-us/help-article/state-taxes/contact-state-department-revenue/L9qVToi02_US_en_US?uid=m6e06um0     https://www.irs.gov/refunds   Refunds for tax years 2021 or earlier have been forfeited and will not be paid to you even if shown on the tax return form.  But if you owe tax due, you will still have to pay, and you will be billed later for the interest and penalties owed.  TurboTax will not calculate the penalties or  interest.   That will be done by the IRS/state after they receive your return with your payment of the tax due as shown on the tax form(s).       When you mail a tax return, you need to attach any documents showing tax withheld, such as your W-2’s or any 1099’s.  Use a mailing service that will track it, such as UPS or certified mail so you will know the IRS/state received the return.   Federal and state returns must be in separate envelopes and they are mailed to different addresses.  Read the mailing instructions that print with your tax return carefully so you mail them to the right addresses.  

Do not expect quick results from amending. It can take four months or more for the IRS to process an amended return.     You can watch for information here: https://www.irs.gov/filing/wheres-my-amended-return

Your refund went down when you added insurance?   Do you mean you entered a 1095A for marketplace health insurance?    Was your 2025 income higher than the amount you estimated it would be when you applied for marketplace insurance?   If you had health insurance from the marketplace, when you applied for the insurance, you gave healthcare.gov an estimate of how much income you would receive in 2025.  They used that amount to calculate how much of the insurance premium would be covered by the tax credit and how much would be your amount to pay.   So...you had some monthly amounts to pay, and the rest of the cost of having that insurance was paid by the government program.   If you ended up making a higher income than you told them you would receive, they re-calculate how much should have been paid by the program and how much should have been paid by you.   And if your own share of the cost should have been more, they get it back on your income tax return.      If you actually had less income, you could even get some of the share you paid back on your tax return.           From Healthcare.gov: If you're enrolled in a Marketplace plan and your income or household changes, update your application as soon as possible. These changes — like higher or lower income, adding or losing household members, or getting offers of other health coverage — may affect the coverage or savings you’re eligible for.  After you finish applying or enrolling, you may be asked to submit documents to confirm your income. Discover which changes to report. Learn how to report changes.  

"my laptop died...."     If you used desktop software downloaded/installed  to your own computer, then the tax files are stored locally on your own hard drive or any backup device you used like a flash drive.  They are not stored online.  If you cannot recover them due to a hard drive failure, etc. you can get a free transcript from the IRS or for a fee of $30 an actual copy of your tax return. https://www.irs.gov/individuals/get-transcript https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f4506.pdf  

Someone might be able to help you if you give some details. What is the entire exact error message you are getting, word for word? Which box of the 1099-R does it say is wrong? What is in that box on the 1099-R that you got from the financial institution? What are you entering in that box in TurboTax? What is the distribution code in box 7 of the 1099-R? What type of account is the 1099-R for? Is it a pension? an IRA? something else?  

Are you confusing the childcare credit with the child tax credit?  If your child is 13 you cannot get the childcare credit for paying someone to watch your child while you work unless the child has some sort of disability that gives them an exception to the age limit.

You may have answered something incorrectly in MY INFO.   Go back to MY INFO, click the child’s name  and go through all of the interview questions carefully and slowly.  Read every screen top to bottom.     Make sure you have entered your child as a dependent in My Info, and that you have entered the child's Social Security number.    Careful— do not say that your child’s SSN is not valid for employment.  If your child was born in 2025 make sure you said he lived with you the whole year.  There is an oddly worded question that asks if the child paid over half their own support.  Say NO to that question.       Have you entered income from working in 2025?  If not,  you will not receive an income tax refund based on having dependent children.     The maximum amount of the child tax credit is now $2200 per child; the refundable “additional child tax credit” amount is $1700.   In order to get that credit, you have to have income from working.   Take the amount you earned from working.   Subtract $2500.   Multiply the rest by 15%.  That is the additional child tax credit per child that you canget—- up to the maximum of $1700 per child.   If the amount you earned from working was low, you will not get the full $1700 per child.    If your child is older than 16 at the end of 2025, you do not get the CTC.  But you may still get the non-refundable $500 credit for other dependents instead.   https://ttlc.intuit.com/turbotax-support/en-us/help-article/taxation/child-tax-credit/L2lNhfGDl_US_en_US?uid=m68dfq2u   https://ttlc.intuit.com/turbotax-support/en-us/help-article/taxation/additional-child-tax-credit/L6xFeMFEf_US_en_US?uid=lqnuygah https://www.irs.gov/help/ita/does-my-childdependent-qualify-for-the-child-tax-credit-or-the-credit-for-other-dependents     And for the Earned Income Credit—-   https://ttlc.intuit.com/turbotax-support/en-us/help-article/tax-credits-deductions/qualifications-earned-income-credit-eic-eitc/L7w4BFP32_US_en_US?uid=m62rmz09   https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/individuals/earned-income-tax-credit/use-the-eitc-assistant   https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p596.pdf   Look at your 2025 Form 1040 to see the child-related credits you received   PREVIEW 1040 https://ttlc.intuit.com/turbotax-support/en-us/help-article/tax-return/preview-turbotax-online-return-filing/L77WCkvnu_US_en_US?uid=m681fkhr   Child Tax Credit line 19 Credit for Other Dependents line 19 Earned Income Credit line 27 Additional Child Tax Credit line 28