2025 TurboTax desktop EITC error

[dgsimm]

During error checking it asks for the EITC box to be checked. I have No dependents. EITC is not applicable to me.

[JohnB5677]

You don't need dependents to get the Earned Income Tax Credit.

"To qualify for the EITC, you must:

• Have earned income
• Have investment income below the limit
• Have a valid Social Security number by the due date of your return (including extensions)
• Be a U.S. citizen or a resident alien all year
• Not file Form 2555, Foreign Earned Income
• Meet certain rules if you are separated from your spouse and not filing a joint tax return"

See the IRS circular on Who qualifies for the Earned Income Tax Credit

[dgsimm]

You are missing the point. I am not trying to qualify for EITC. I simply went thru error check and it presented the screen below asking me to check the EITC box.  Why?  Please open a support ticket for this issue. [email address removed]

[AnnetteB6]

Based on the screenshot you shared, the checkbox is for the Illinois EITC.  The qualifications for the Illinois EITC are different than the qualifications for the EITC on the Federal return.  You may qualify for the state EITC when you did not qualify for the Federal EITC.

The error condition is asking you to check the box so that it can be determined if you qualify for the Illinois EITC.  If you do qualify, then your refund/balance due for your state will be affected.  TurboTax is trying to be sure you are claiming every credit that you may be qualified to claim to get your best possible results.

Checking the box does no harm.  It then allows the program to determine if you meet the qualifications for the state EITC.

To learn more, see the following information from the Illinois DOR:

How do I qualify for the Illinois EITC?

@dgsimm 

[dgsimm]

You are incorrect. If you check the box it wiil generate form EIC which if you read the instructions at the top I should not be filling out.

[NotSoTurbo]

"Checking the box does no harm.  It then allows the program to determine if you meet the qualifications for the state EITC."

By the checking the box the tax payer agrees with the statement  

"If you do not qualify for the federal EITC, but do qualify for the Illinois EITC, check this box and

complete the Illinois Expanded EITC Worksheet below."

1. If checking this box does no harm, then the software should automatically determine the if the tax payer does/doesn't meet the qualifications without forcing the tax payer to check the box (checking the box is a required action to continue the E-File process)  and essentially making a false statement? 

2. If I follow the advice given, will it invalidate the terms of the  turbo Tax "100% Accurate Calculations Guarantee"?

[NotSoTurbo]

 AnnetteB6

"The error condition is asking you to check the box so that it can be determined if you qualify for the Illinois EITC.  If you do qualify, then your refund/balance due for your state will be affected. TurboTax is trying to be sure you are claiming every credit that you may be qualified to claim to get your best possible results.

I finally had time to do some more research on your statement. 

The check box that customers are experiencing a issue with is  on a Turbo Tax Smart Worksheet. The sheets are obviously designed to show how Turbo Tax derives values on the filed forms. A Smart Worksheet should be just that...SMART.  Yes I realize that some Smart worksheets can be interactive, but in this case there is no reason for input as the worksheet is already populated with information from the federal and state return with some of that information already indicating the state EITC is not allowed.

Furthermore, the worksheet (not calling it smart anymore) ALREADY contains the information to determine amount of credit, if any, is allowed without making your customers check a box, that for me is making a false statement.

2) Again I ask this important question: 
If I follow the advice given, will it invalidate the terms of the  turbo Tax "100% Accurate Calculations Guarantee"?

[AnnetteB6]

Since my last post on this thread, this experience has been identified as something that needs to be looked at further and forwarded to the development team for investigation.  

The first step in this process is to provide a diagnostic tax file for the development team to use.  It is better to have an actual diagnostic file from a customer demonstrating the situation.  Please consider sharing a diagnostic copy of your tax file for this purpose.  The diagnostic file will not contain personally identifiable information, only numbers related to your tax forms.  

If you would like to provide us with the diagnostic file, follow the instructions below and post the token number along with which version of TurboTax you are using in a follow-up thread.

Use these steps if you are using TurboTax Online:

• Sign in to your account and be sure you are in your tax return.
• Select Tax Tools in the menu to the left.
• Select Tools.
• Select Share my file with agent.
• A pop-up message will appear, select OK to send the sanitized diagnostic copy to us.
• Post the token number here. 

If you are using a CD/downloaded version of TurboTax, use these steps:

• Select Online at the top of the screen.
• Select Send Tax File to Agent.
• Click OK.
• Post the token number here.

If you are using a Mac version of TurboTax, use these steps:

• Go to the Menu at the top of the screen and select Help.
• Then, Send Tax File to Agent.

Post the token number here.
 

@dgsimm 

@NotSoTurbo