The error messaging you are seeing with regard to the wash sale entries is a result of automatic rounding of the number imported from your broker or typed in by you. If the wash sale adjustment is $0.49 or less, then it is automatically rounded to zero. This type of rounding is allowed by the IRS. Unfortunately, zero is not a valid value for this field -- thus the error message.
To resolve the issue, you can edit each individual transaction (although not from the screen in the review process) and delete the amount entered in the wash sale adjustment if it is $0.49 or less. This will clear the error message.
To do this, you will need to revisit the input section for the Form 1099-B transactions. Use the following steps:
If you have too many transactions that would require editing, you can consider deleting your imported information and entering a summary of the different categories of transactions reported on your Form 1099-B (short-term covered, short-term not covered, long-term covered, long-term not covered). This may require you to mail a copy (not the original) of your Form 1099-B from your brokerage to the IRS within three days of filing your return. The Form 1099-B would be attached to Form 8453, which will print with your return.
The error messaging you are seeing with regard to the wash sale entries is a result of automatic rounding of the number imported from your broker or typed in by you. If the wash sale adjustment is $0.49 or less, then it is automatically rounded to zero. This type of rounding is allowed by the IRS. Unfortunately, zero is not a valid value for this field -- thus the error message.
To resolve the issue, you can edit each individual transaction (although not from the screen in the review process) and delete the amount entered in the wash sale adjustment if it is $0.49 or less. This will clear the error message.
To do this, you will need to revisit the input section for the Form 1099-B transactions. Use the following steps:
If you have too many transactions that would require editing, you can consider deleting your imported information and entering a summary of the different categories of transactions reported on your Form 1099-B (short-term covered, short-term not covered, long-term covered, long-term not covered). This may require you to mail a copy (not the original) of your Form 1099-B from your brokerage to the IRS within three days of filing your return. The Form 1099-B would be attached to Form 8453, which will print with your return.
You will have to go back to your 1099-B and fix each transaction manually. Go back to your 1099-B and delete every adjustment that went from less than .49 to 0.
The rounding is allowed per IRS regulations but it causes a conflict in this particular part of the software. The IRS says as follows:
Computations
The following information may be useful in making the return easier to complete.
Rounding off dollars.
You can round off cents to whole dollars on your return and schedules. If you do round to whole dollars, you must round all amounts. To round, drop amounts under 50 cents and increase amounts from 50 to 99 cents to the next dollar. For example, $1.39 becomes $1 and $2.50 becomes $3.
If you have to add two or more amounts to figure the amount to enter on a line, include cents when adding the amounts and round off only the total.
If you are entering amounts that include cents, make sure to include the decimal point. There is no cents column on Form 1040 or 1040-SR.
Equal amounts.
If you are asked to enter the smaller or larger of two equal amounts, enter that amount.
Negative amounts.
If you file a paper return and you need to enter a negative amount, put the amount in parentheses rather than using a minus sign. To combine positive and negative amounts, add all the positive amounts together and then subtract the negative amounts.
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