topic Need help with filing as live-in IHSS provider in Get your taxes done using TurboTax

Need help with filing as live-in IHSS provider

CompleteNoob — Fri, 27 Feb 2026 19:09:42 GMT

I am completely new to turbotax e-filing and I'm trying to figure out how to file for EITC.

I am a live-in IHSS provider for both of my folks. I did receive my W-2 forms and they both show $0.00 in box 1 and 2.

So far I have filled out my info in turbotax and have uploaded copies of the W-2 forms. And this is where I'm stuck. The W2 forms require a review. How do I proceed from here?

Thank you.

Re: Need help with filing as live-in IHSS provider

CompleteNoob — Fri, 27 Feb 2026 20:30:03 GMT

Just wanted to provide more info. So after I uploaded the W2 forms, under Wages & Income I have Wages & Salaries, and Wages & Income Summary. When I go to Wages & Income Summary, it says "needs review". When I click on review, it takes me to W-2 summary page with REVIEW button next to each W2 form. How do I proceed? Where do I make changes to qualify for EITC?

UPDATE:

I think by uploading the W2 forms it made things more complicated, and so I decided to delete the uploads and start from the beginning by entering the info manually. I am now on the "Income & taxes withheld" page. Do I leave boxes 1-8 blank or enter 0, and select code II in box 12? Then continue?

Re: Need help with filing as live-in IHSS provider

DianeW777 — Sat, 28 Feb 2026 19:17:08 GMT

The link below will help you to make sure your IHSS medicaid waiver is not subject to tax. As you go step by step you will see the correct actions for you to take. Click the link that describes your situation.

How do I enter my tax-exempt Medicaid waiver payments from IHSS in TurboTax?

@CompleteNoob

Re: Need help with filing as live-in IHSS provider

CompleteNoob — Sun, 01 Mar 2026 16:48:13 GMT

Thank you for the reply and providing the link. Those are the instructions I followed previously.

It seems I do not qualify for the EITC as I make too much. I still would like to file my taxes even though I don't qualify for the EITC.

My questions are:

1) Do I skip the EITC section altogether and just file as is? Or do I go through the EITC section and simply chose NO when asked "Do you want to add your Medicaid waiver payments to your income for this credit?". When I chose NO, it actually tells me I qualify (but only if I put $1 in box 1 and 2) and would get a $2 Federal refund.

2) Is it OK to add tax breaks like car registration?

I just want to file to have my taxes on record and not having to owe anything.

Thank you.

Re: Need help with filing as live-in IHSS provider

MonikaK1 — Mon, 02 Mar 2026 01:33:53 GMT

You don't have to complete the EITC section if you don't wish to or know you won't qualify.

If you aren't required to file a return but would qualify for $2 of earned income credit, you can still file.

There is no need to enter the tax portion of your car registration unless you will have a tax liability and have enough deductions (more than the standard deduction) to itemize.

See this TurboTax tips article for more information about the Earned Income Credit. TurboTax can calculate the credit for you. To claim the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), you must have what qualifies as earned income and meet certain adjusted gross income (AGI) limits.

@CompleteNoob

Re: Need help with filing as live-in IHSS provider

CompleteNoob — Mon, 02 Mar 2026 19:04:16 GMT

I appreciate your help.

one other thing, I am a provider for both of my parents and since they are both of my employers, I added both of the W2 forms from them. TurboTax is seeing it as duplicates since both W2 have the same employer EIN #'s. I simply clicked continue and kept both W2 forms. At the end of the review, it says my federal return can't be filed "E-File is not available because your tax return includes forms that can't be e-filed." I'm assuming it's because turbotax is seeing them as duplicates. How do I fix this?

UPDATE: It specifically states that employer name is duplicate, even though the first names are different.

Re: Need help with filing as live-in IHSS provider

MonikaK1 — Mon, 02 Mar 2026 20:19:53 GMT

TurboTax won't allow you to submit two Forms W-2 with the same EIN as it will appear to be an error.

To resolve this, add the amounts in each box of the W-2s together (e.g., if there are two Box 1 numbers, add the two together) and enter the totals in one W-2 form in TurboTax. Delete the second W-2 form in TurboTax if you started one.

@CompleteNoob

Re: Need help with filing as live-in IHSS provider

CompleteNoob — Mon, 02 Mar 2026 21:56:15 GMT

So do I combine both W2 forms into 1? Would I add both of my parents names into the Employer Name on the first W2 form? Also, do I combine the amounts in 12a?

Thanks.

Re: Need help with filing as live-in IHSS provider

CompleteNoob — Thu, 05 Mar 2026 17:53:34 GMT

So combining the two W2 forms into one entry did not fix anything. I am still getting the message that "E-File is not available because your tax return includes forms that can't be e-filed. Revisit the Review section to see which forms"

Review section of course doesn't show any forms, it passes without any issues. So what can possibly be causing this?

Re: Need help with filing as live-in IHSS provider

MarilynG1 — Fri, 06 Mar 2026 22:46:12 GMT

If both your W-2's have $0 in Box 1, you won't be able to Efile UNLESS after entering them you get a screen 'Let's check for other situations' with a checkbox for 'Non-Taxable Medicaid Waiver Payments'. Since you uploaded your W-2's, go to the Income section and EDIT your W-2's. If this screen comes up for you, your problems are solved.

The W-2 income is included as non-taxable, and you should then go through the Earned Income Credit interview to see if you qualify. If the screen doesn't come up for you (or does not have the appropriate item to check), then DELETE your W-2's and report as follows:

At the Income Topics page, scroll down to 'Miscellaneous Income 1099-A, 1099-C' and Start.
On the next screen, scroll all the way down to 'Other Reportable Income' and Start.
On the next screen, 'Yes, other taxable income'
On the next screen 'Add'. For a description, say 'Medicaid Waiver Income' and put the total amount of the two W-2's.

This puts the income into your return; now you'll make an adjusting entry to make it non-taxable. Go thru the 'Miscellaneous Income', 'Other Reportable Income', etc. again, but this time for a description, enter 'Adjustment for Non-Taxable Medicaid Waiver Income' and the same amount with a minus sign in front of it.

However, if you get your income entered, and then the EIC interview says you don't qualify for a credit, you don't even need to file a return, if this is your only income. Just keep the W-2's for your records.

@CompleteNoob

Re: Need help with filing as live-in IHSS provider

CompleteNoob — Thu, 12 Mar 2026 18:17:53 GMT

This is strange, I do not see the "checkbox for 'Non-Taxable Medicaid Waiver Payments'." when I get to the Let's check for other situations' part. I've tried with the W2 forms manually entered and without the W2 forms, makes no difference. It will only let me select the code II - Medicaid waiver in box 12 when entering the W2 info.

I tried filing through H&R, and when I select code II in box 12, it gives me an error message, something along the lines of "due to IRS efile rules, this code needs to be entered in box 14". It actually gives me the option to select code II - Medicaid waiver in box 14. When I go this route, it lets me go all the way until the review, but tells me box 1 and 2 cannot be left as 0. So I enter $1 in box 1 and 2, and this allows me to efile my taxes. Should I just go ahead and file through H&R?

Re: Need help with filing as live-in IHSS provider

DianeW777 — Sat, 14 Mar 2026 18:13:51 GMT

When you enter your W-2 follow the steps below and you will achieve the accurate results.

The results are good and here they are!

Enter the amount of wages in box 1 (as if they had been placed there) > finish the W-2 screen
Continue to 'Let's check for other situations' > check the box next to 'Nontaxable Medicaid waiver payments that qualify as difficulty of care payments'
Continue > 'Let's check your Medicaid waiver payments' > Check the boxes 'All of it' and 'No'
Preview your return to look at the following lines:
Schedule 1, Line 8s you will see the negative adjustment carried to Line 9 on the 1040.

From the left rail menu in TurboTax Online, select Tax Tools (You may have to scroll down on the left rail menu.)

Select Tax Tools
On the drop-down select Tools
On the pop-up menu titled “Tools Center”, select View Tax Summary
On the left sidebar, select Preview my 1040

For TurboTax Desktop, change to 'Forms' and review the forms.

@CompleteNoob

Re: Need help with filing as live-in IHSS provider

CompleteNoob — Sat, 14 Mar 2026 19:10:47 GMT

I am following your instructions, but here is what I see when I get to 'Other Tax Situations'. No boxes to check. Has the turbotax software changed, or am I doing something wrong?

Re: Need help with filing as live-in IHSS provider

MonikaK1 — Sun, 15 Mar 2026 03:15:18 GMT

What @DianeW777 was referring to by "Let's check for other situations" was to the follow-up screen in the W-2 section that has that statement, and not the "Other tax situations" section. On the screen in the W-2 section, that comes after the one with the state and local tax section of the W-2, is the one that has the heading, "Let's check for other situations".

That screen has a list of items with a box to check if the item applies.

Check the box next to the item on the list, "Nontaxable Medicaid waiver payments that qualify as difficulty of care payments".

Again, if you aren't required to file because your taxable income is below the threshold, and you don't wish to apply for Earned Income Credit (earlier you said it calculated $2 and then you said you didn't qualify, so I am not sure what changed), then you don't have to file a return at all.

See this tax tips article for more information regarding who is required to file a tax return.

@CompleteNoob