topic Re: Detroit form 5121 not handled correctly in Get your taxes done using TurboTax

Detroit form 5121 not handled correctly

gahudock — Wed, 11 Feb 2026 05:00:55 GMT

Turbotax Premier does not handle the City of Detroit form 5121, in particular, Part 3, correctly, for 2023. I believe it has never handled it correctly, at least the past several years. I have to complete it and mail it manually.

Turbotax: can you please acknowledge that my statement is true? If not, please explain how to make it work.

If you confirm that Turbotax does not handle this correctly, can you please let us know whether you intend to fix this perennial problem.

Re: Detroit form 5121 not handled correctly

LenaH — Sat, 30 Mar 2024 18:50:14 GMT

Form 5121 is available in TurboTax and can be e-filed or mailed according to this table. Part 3, Wage Allocation, is based upon the information you enter on the Wage allocation screens.

To allocate your wages, please follow the steps below:

Go to your Michigan return.
On the screen, A few things before we wrap up your state taxes, click Revisit next to Michigan City Tax Returns.
Enter the information required on the following screens.
On the screen, Detroit Wages, click Edit next to your W-2.
Using the drop down menu, click on Working Days Allocation, on the page Detroit Wage Amount.
On the page Allocation of Detroit Wages, please ensure all boxes are filled out for tax to calculate properly.

You must enter information in all of the boxes on the page, Allocation of Detroit Wages. The information entered flows to the allocation on Form 5121. Without the number of days filled in for column B, C, D, the wages earned in Detroit cannot be calculated. Please see below screenshot for additional clarification.

Re: Detroit form 5121 not handled correctly

gahudock — Sat, 30 Mar 2024 20:56:21 GMT

Thanks for your quick reply.

Re: Detroit form 5121 not handled correctly

Skinner2 — Thu, 04 Apr 2024 01:38:51 GMT

the 5121 form is not showing up

Re: Detroit form 5121 not handled correctly

AmyC — Fri, 05 Apr 2024 22:01:51 GMT

You have to select that you need a Detroit return and answer the questions. Please return to Other Situations. Select Michigan City Tax, select Detroit, continue through answering questions. Income will show and you have to edit the w2, etc to review Detroit income.

If you have done all of that and it still isn't showing up, you may have a piece of data stuck.

Follow these steps:

Desktop version:

Delete the form
Save your return while closing the program.
Update the program
Open
Enter the information again.

Online version:

A full or corrupted cache can cause problems in TurboTax, so sometimes you need to clear your cache (that is, remove these temporary files).

For stuck information follow these steps:

Delete the form/ worksheet- if possible, see How to Delete
Log out of your return and try one or more of the following:
- Don't use Internet Explorer.
- Clear cache and cookies,
- Sign in using a different browser.
- Sign in using a different device.
Log back into your return.
- Enter the information again.

@Skinner2

Re: Detroit form 5121 not handled correctly

druthino — Sun, 07 Apr 2024 04:55:46 GMT

I FOUND THE BUG 😄

My tax situation is as follows:

MFJ
Neither of us live in Detroit (non-residents)
I'm the filer -- I don't work in Detroit
My spouse, works in Detroit, and does not/has not ever needed to complete the allocation

When I get to this screen in Turbo Tax (Desktop or Online), I have only ever completed a non-resident return for my spouse.

When I do this, and only this, TurboTax will only generate the 5119S form.

Now, if I go back through and create a nonresident Detroit form for myself -- even though I don't work in Detroit...

Turbo Tax will spontaneously generate the 5121S Form with all my wife's information in it.

This bug started in the 2022 TurboTax version and is still present in 2023. These steps worked for both tax years, Desktop/Online versions. It seems like it's related to filer/spouse.

You don't need to to adjust allocation or manually edit form. Form is created for me with all the correct information as it was back in 2021.

Re: Detroit form 5121 not handled correctly

taumax — Sun, 27 Apr 2025 21:51:21 GMT

Thanks!
Can somebody at Intuit acknowledge that this will be fixed for tax year 2025 in TT?

Re: Detroit form 5121 not handled correctly

pjswan — Mon, 02 Mar 2026 02:53:08 GMT

I have this exact problem with TurboTax online 2025:

* spouse files as Detroit nonresident (but not me)

* working days allocation is filled out, reducing income earned in city of Detroit

* After e-filing, Form 5121 DOES NOT APPEAR in generated PDF of Michigan/Detroit tax forms

* Workaround mentioned does not work after e-filing on TurboTax online.

* Need Form 5121 to successfully file Detroit taxes by mail

How can I get 2025 Detroit Form 5121?

Re: Detroit form 5121 not handled correctly

DaveF1006 — Thu, 12 Mar 2026 15:59:45 GMT

You may download the form here. City Form W is the same as Form 5121.

Re: Detroit form 5121 not handled correctly

pjswan — Sat, 14 Mar 2026 15:07:51 GMT

Thank you for posting the link to Detroit Schedule W (form 5121).

I was able to reverse-engineer the numbers manually and file.

However, the only satisfactory solution is for TurboTax to populate and print this form when required for filing.

This has been a long-standing unresolved problem with TurboTax.