All Posts

If you lived and worked exclusively in Mears, Michigan, and have no financial ties to Detroit, you do not need to file a Detroit tax return; however, TurboTax may have prompted this because a box was checked or an employer mistakenly reported Detroit withholding on your W-2.    In the State Taxes section, Michigan, you should double-check your residency settings to ensure Detroit is not selected as your city of residence or work. Additionally, review the Local Tax boxes (usually Boxes 18–20) on your W-2 entry; if there is any tax from Detroit, it may automatically generate the city return, and you'd want to file to get a refund.    You can delete the Detroit return, go to Tax Tools on the left of your screen, then Tools, then select Delete a form. Find the Detroit return and select the trashcan next to it to delete.

Income of zero is tough on the program. It likes blanks better than zero.  You may have a tax form that pulled in the zero. If you don't have royalty producing property a stray zero could trigger the form.   If you own the rights but had no income and no expenses, do not report anything. If you have expenses but no income - change it to $1 of income - losses are suspended when you are a passive investor. Verify this is passive or active income on the royalty screen.

Federal and state tax returns are processed by completely separate agencies. They each work on their own schedules. There is no connection between when you get your federal refund and when you get your state refund. To check the status of your state refund go to the following link and then click on the name of your state. How do I track my state refund?  

Can you point to the IRS publication of this rule? When I contacted the IRS they insisted this is not a rule and the e-file system would accept my tax return if TurboTax submitted it.  My interest income is already about $1 and raising it more would not bring the aggregate of the lines TurboTax is validating above the tax withheld.  My tax situation has not changed in years and this/last year was the first time TurboTax prevented e-filing. 

This question likely popped up because you had a dollar amount in box 10 on your W-2. This dollar amount reflects the amount of your salary that was contributed by your employer (even if you paid for it) to a Dependent Care FSA. Why would you do this? Because any amount contributed in box 10 on your W-2 is removed from Wages in Box 1 on your W-2 (i.e., not taxable).   BUT, the dollars in box 10 must be shown to have been validly spent on child and dependent care services, or they just get added back to taxable income.   If you need to see this question again, I would remove your W-2, delete form 2441, then re-add your W-2, and go back to the Child and Dependent Care section. Actually, now that I think about it, this question that you refer to pops up in the W-2 interview...you need to erase the W-2 and start over.   2441 Reset ***Reset***   1. make a copy of your W-2(s) (if you don't have the paper copies) 2. delete your W-2(s) (use the garbage can icon next to the W-2(s) on the Income screen)   *** Desktop/Windows***   3. Go to the upper right and click on Forms, and  4. Select the desired form (2441). Note the Delete Form button at the bottom of the form’s screen.   *** Desktop/Mac***   3. Switch to Forms Mode by selecting the Forms icon. 4. From the menu, select the form (2441) you want to remove (if you don't see it, select Open Form at the top). From the Forms menu, select Remove [form name].   *** Online ***   3. go to Tax Tools (on the left), and navigate to Tools->Delete a form  4. delete form(s) 2441   5. go back and re-add your W-2(s), preferably adding them manually 6. go back and continue with your return...you will probably be directed to the Child and Dependent Care section anyway.

Well, it may look like you can download it there, but if you've already purchased it and the TurboTax system has "something go wrong" so you have to go out, wait 24 hours or so and then try again, it's virtually impossible to find a download spot. I agree with the original poster - you guys have ROYALLY screwed up your website. It's impossible to navigate and about as user-unfriendly as ANY WEBSITE EVER!

Yes, assuming you did not sell or trade this car for another vehicle. Keep all the tax records for the vehicle you stopped using until you dispose of it. Until it is disposed of it will always be a tax asset. Likewise keep all the records for the current car you began using in your business until it is disposed of through sale, trade or junked.   If you did trade or sell it, please update here and we can provide details on how to report it on your tax return. A trade is a sale in tax law. Items you will need to know at a point of sale or trade for either or both cars.   Total all of the business miles for the life of the vehicle Total all miles on the vehicle for the life of the vehicle Business miles divided by total miles = Business Use Percentage for the life of the vehicle Take the original cost of the vehicle x the business use percentage = Business Cost Take the sales or trade-in price x the business use percentage = Business Sales Price Calculate the following: If you used only SMR: all of the business miles by year with the rate in the SMR for depreciation (see post by tax expert @Vanessa A) Total all of the actual depreciation expense used for the traded vehicle (see that information in the Vehicle screen @mstonecliffe 

Hello,   I was supposed to have a call with a turbotax expert today at 2:15pm and they haven't contacted me yet. Is there anything I could do to get a call sooner than later as I set time aside to plan for this call and am worried that if they don't call me I won't file by the end of the day today.  

The IRS has increasingly moved toward the Simplified Method (SM) for most retirees. Per IRS Publication 575, if your annuity is from a Qualified Plan (like a 401k, 403b, or standard employer pension) and your annuity start date was after November 18, 1996, the IRS generally requires you to use the SM. Here are the general guidelines:   If your annuity is a Qualified Plan (e.g. 401k, 403b) that started after November 18, 1996, use the Simplified Method; or either if before November 19, 1996 If your annuity is a Non-Qualified Plan (commercial annuity bought with personal savings), use the General Rule If you are 75+ at the start date, use the Simplified Method, unless you have 5+ years of guaranteed payments. Then, use the General Rule   If TurboTax believes your Form 1099-R is for a standard retirement plan (like a 401k or pension), it may default to using the Simplified Method and will bypass the General Method. If you meet the criteria, to prompt the General Rule, do the following:   On the 1099-R entry screen, make sure Box 7 matches your form (likely Code 7 or Code 1) Ensure the "IRA/SEP/SIMPLE" box is unchecked  When the software asks, "What kind of retirement plan do you have?", select "Non-qualified retirement plan" By selecting Non-Qualified retirement plan, you are telling TurboTax that the plan is not subject to standard 401k/pension rules, which triggers the General Rule calculation screens   Learn more by reading IRS Publication 575 - Partly Taxable Payments. 

Thanks so much, this is very helpful! I confirmed with Fidelty that I did not have any excess contributions for 2025.  The $8, 025.88 was a prior year contribution from 2024 that I converted from my rollover IRA along with the $8,000 for my 2025 backdoor Roth contribution.  That resulted in a $16,025.88 conversion to the Roth for 2025 reflected in my 1099-R.  For tax purposes for 2025, I needed to report the $8,000 contribution.  I was mistakeningly reporting the entire $16,025.88 conversion as my 2025 contribution.  Once I fixed that reporting error, the excess contribution/tax penalty screen went away.    Thanks again for your engagement and sharing your expertise. 

@dltgator    ...expanding on that...the Yes-No question is misleading many people....as someone (opinion: ) Foolishly edited the question from what they used in prior years..   If your box 2a has a non-zero number in it..(not blank, nor marked as undetermined), and that number is somewhat lower than the box 1 number, due to an after-tax contribution amount that is noted in box 5...then edit that retirement form again, and when you get to the following page (below), answer it as-if the displayed edits were present  (i.e. you needed to answer YES).     Answering YES will use the box 2a $$ amount on your for 1040.  Checking lines 5a and 5b on your form 1040, before and after entering that 1099-R, and the 5b amount should be lower than line 5a.     (But if you answered No, and already entered some $$ in the "General" or "Simplified" calculation area ,you might need to delete your 1099-R first and re-enter it from scratch...not sure of that though) _________________________

Thank you Diane!  I sincerely appreciate your condolences.   It was a Turbo Tax help agent who told me I have to use last year's pin.   No other issues or errors were found.  I believe there is a flaw in the software because all other identifying information has been entered.  My Dad died on 1/12/25...prior to filing 2024 taxes so he technically did not sign the 2024 joint return.  In the 2025 joint return in the "sign your 2025 return" window his name and birthdate appear along with the blank box for a pin number.  The birthdate is correct, and I entered a pin number I created on the fly which was legit and today's date yet it is a fatal error for e filing.  I believe it is because it pulls his info, not my Mom's (who signed the 2024 return).   Sorry for all of the details but trying to improve the process.  Very upset I bought TurboTax and am told I cannot efile.    

You can report the tax paid by the LLC in TurboTax Online as follows:   Log into TurboTax and open your return. Use this link to go to Schedule K-1 (1065). Or use the search box to find this section. Edit the Schedule K-1 and review your entries to the screen with the checkboxes. Check Box 13 and choose Code ZZ. No amount is needed in the box for this code. Continue to the next page check the box for “Taxes and State Income Tax Withheld.” Choose "Massachusetts" from the State Name drop-down and enter the amount of State Income Tax Withheld. No other entries needed. Continue back to the K-1 Summary page.   The withholding will appear on MA Schedule 62-WH Part 1 Line 5 and on Form 1 Line 38(C), increasing the tax paid and any refund due from MA.

Admin work.     You can claim the home office as your primary place of work if: You use it exclusively and regularly for administrative or management activities of your business (like billing, booking, advertising, and ordering supplies). You have no other fixed location where you conduct a substantial amount of these administrative or management activities. In your case, even though your "revenue-generating" work (the spa services) happens at your suite, your home office is where you do necessary admin work.   As long as you aren't doing your bookkeeping and marketing at the spa suite, the home office is considered the primary place for the management of your business.      What qualifies as "Principal Place of Business" for the home office deduction?

I have used Turbo Tax since 2010 and filed returns for my son and daughter as they came of taxation age.  With this change, I will NOT be using Turbo Tax for 2026 and going forward unless I find a work around.      I am not a business... just a family.  Very STUPID on your part and I feel betrayed.