You didn't prompt me for form 8880 regarding my $1000 IRA contribution, so now it seems I'm going to be out $500 that I was entitled to as part of my return.

[stubrain]

Simply put, nowhere in my return, which I filed yesterday, was I shown form 8880, and as such I'm not confident that the $500 tax credit I would otherwise be entitled to will not apply.

[Critter]

Well you are in luck ... you can amend the return for free if you do find you are entitled to the credit.  Look at the  chart on the  form 8880 and the instructions on page 2  to see if you are even allowed the credit ... 

https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f8880.pdf

https://ttlc.intuit.com/replies/5114064

[stubrain]

Okay, but the problem remains that doing it online via Turbotax still doesn't allow for me to claim the credit, so how do I resolve THAT particular issue?  Is there a different way of using Turbotax that would permit it?

[Critter]

Ok... if you enter a deductible IRA contribution  and then move onto the retirement credit section then review the form 8880 & form 1040 to see how the credit is calculated ... do you also have a retirement plan at work that maxed the credit out already ...or do you not have any tax liability for the credit to negate ?  

The retirement savings contributions credit applies only to the first $2,000 of each person's retirement contributions.  With aIl $4,000 contributed to your own IRA your maximum possible credit is $1,000.  If you instead made a $2,000 contribution for yourself and an $2,000 contribution for your spouse, the maximum possible credit would be $1,000 for each for a total of $2,000.

However, this credit is a nonrefundable credit.  It cannot be used to reduce your tax liability below zero.