topic Has anyone been hit with an underpayment because of your answer on line 30? in After you file

Has anyone been hit with an underpayment because of your answer on line 30?

susan-barnett — Tue, 10 Mar 2026 07:09:14 GMT

I spoke with an IRS agent and she said this mistake has been very common amount TurboTax users. It has to do with whether you received your stimulus check.

Re: Has anyone been hit with an underpayment because of your answer on line 30?

fanfare — Sat, 05 Nov 2022 12:59:43 GMT

You must enter the correct value - typically zero - on Line 30. IRS is very particular about it.

@susan-barnett

Re: Has anyone been hit with an underpayment because of your answer on line 30?

xmasbaby0 — Sat, 05 Nov 2022 13:28:23 GMT

@susan-barnett Line 30 is the line for the recovery rebate credit. If you received the 3rd stimulus payment of $1400 per person then you were supposed to answer the questions about that in Federal Review and enter the amount you already received. The IRS also sent you letter 6475 about that so that you would know to enter it. If you answered incorrectly and put an amount on line 30 that you were not eligible to receive again, then the IRS reduced your refund. You cannot get the $1400 per person twice. If you already received that stimulus money then your line 30 should have been blank.

LOTS of people have made mistakes this year with the recovery rebate credit by "forgetting" that they received the $1400 per person stimulus checks last year. They answered no to the questions for the recovery recovery rebate credit and put the $1400 per person on line 30 of their returns. But you cannot get it twice, so the IRS removes it when it is there by mistake. The IRS sent letter 6475 showing that you received the 3rd stimulus check.

It is very important that if you filed a joint return—-the IRS sent letter 6475 to EACH spouse. You had to enter the total amount received. Many people misunderstood and entered only the amount from one of the letters.

Try checking your online account with the IRS (and if you filed a joint return—check for BOTH of you)

https://www.irs.gov/payments/your-online-account

Does the IRS show that you received a $1400 per person stimulus or EIP check in 2021? Did you receive it? When you were asked on your tax return did you say no? Was there $1400 per person on line 30 of your tax return?

If the IRS says you got $1400 per person last year but you did not receive it you can have it traced.

LOST THIRD STIMULUS CHECK

https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/questions-and-answers-about-the-third-round-economic-impact-payment-topic-j-payment-issued-but-lost-stolen-destroyed-or-not-received

If you need to trace a payment that the IRS says has been issued to you, mail or fax a completed IRS Form 3911, Taxpayer Statement Regarding Refund.

Re: Has anyone been hit with an underpayment because of your answer on line 30?

NCperson — Sat, 05 Nov 2022 16:11:38 GMT

@susan-barnett errors related to Line 30 are probably the most common error for the 2021 tax year. (Line 28 was just as bad).

if you did not answer the questions in TT correctly, then Line 30 would have been incorrect as well.

If you received the 3rd stimulus ($1400), then Line 30 should have been zero. Sounds like you received the 3rd stimulus but answered the questions in such a way that Line 30 had $1400 on it, which resulted in a higher refund that you were entitled to, so now the IRS is asking for the money back - with penalties for underpayment,