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Level 3
posted Jan 21, 2021 4:42:03 AM

Missing NY State Forms

I don't see IT-242 on the forms availability schedule:

 

https://care-cdn.prodsupportsite.a.intuit.com/forms-availability/turbotax_ny_windows_individual.html

 

Is there some misc way to attach such forms for tax year 2020 and 2021?

 

Thanks.

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0 Best answer
24 Replies
Expert Alumni
Jan 21, 2021 12:50:23 PM

No. TurboTax does not support Form IT-242.

 

Level 3
Jan 21, 2021 2:13:07 PM

They took it out this year?  It has worked for passed years where you attach as a PDF and fill in the number.  Why was it removed?

Level 3
Jan 21, 2021 2:20:09 PM

I think that means I need to use some whiteout and paper file it or put it on the wrong line so that at least it goes in the calculation and then use the "Other Certificate or Attachment" to get the PDF into the submission.

Level 3
Jan 21, 2021 2:25:26 PM

Sorry for the chain of posts, but I see how to do it.  I just skip the worksheet you describe.  Attach the PDF.  And fill it in on IT-201-ATT manually under 12a with the correct code.

Level 3
Feb 7, 2021 10:09:48 PM

For IT-242 (Conservation Easement credit) and any of the other 'not supported' forms, there are places on the Tax/Credit Wks (in forms mode) that feeds the codes on IT-201-ATT to enter an arbitrary code and amount. You don't have to do an override on IT-201-ATT.

For IT-242, enter code 302 and the amount on line 46 of the Tax/Credit Wks.  This will flow to a slot on line 12 a-l on the IT-201-ATT.

 

You'll still need to attach the PDF of IT-242.   And about 1 year in 4 they won't spot the attachment and you'll have to fix it up with a call/email to NY Tax. 

Level 3
Feb 8, 2021 4:47:42 AM

This is really great.  Thank you for describing this.  Only issue is that this doesn't prompt a PDF attachment the way overriding a working limited supported credit prompts.  Any trick to force a PDF attachment?  Also, who is "NY Tax" to call?  I.e. the state revenue agency in case I've confused them?  Or does Turbotax have a way to officially tell them that they've forgotten an easy limited support form?

 

Level 3
Mar 5, 2021 2:41:49 PM

I have a possible solution to the annoying PDF issue. First, I put in a "fake" number ($1) for another credit they do support, and I chose the Rehabilitation of Historic Properties Credit (IT-238). That made the previously missing "PDF Attachments" link appear under "Other Forms and Attachments" - hit "update" there and it leads you to attach the missing rehab credit form, but in that spot I instead attached my IT-242 for my conservation easement credit. On that page it also allows adding other attachments, but without the rehab credit form it was mainly looking for I tried but did not succeed to use only that "other" line. I then deleted my $1 "fake" rehab credit. Now, Form IT-201-ATT shows only my conservation easement credit, and the "Other Tax Credits" worksheet shows that credit on line 46 (where I "forced" it following other previous advice here) and "0" for rehab credit. And on the NY information worksheet, in Part VIII - Additional Information for E-Filed Returns, it shows my only electronic PDF attachment as for the rehab credit and its IT-238 form number in the file name that Turbotax gave it (not my label), but in fact the only actual attachment is for my conservation easement credit and its IT-242. Not ideal, I have not filed yet but hope this works, but really annoyed they changed from prior years when this type of workaround was not necessary.

Level 3
Mar 5, 2021 2:49:04 PM

Thanks.  I'm debating between either doing this kind of thing or just paper filing New York.  Maybe worth attaching a blank barn rehabilitation form so that it is all complete, but claiming $0.

Level 3
Mar 5, 2021 4:31:22 PM

I was trying to avoid paper filing. If you try the barn rehab form route you suggest, from what I saw in doing that with the historic rehab credit, maybe best not to claim $0 at first, put maybe $1 in, keep that in until you get to attach your PDF form for the conservation credit (putting that one in instead of what they expect for barn rehab), then after they say you've successfully attached your PDF file, go back and put $0 in the credit you really don't want, but that you initially did only because it was your way to get around their annoying change from how we could do this in previous years.

Level 3
Mar 7, 2021 11:10:14 AM

I cannot seem to ever get it to appear on the Information Worksheet.  I've tried deleting the NY State Return from scratch a few times.  Maybe it doesn't like filenames/paths.  Very odd.

Level 3
Mar 7, 2021 11:31:35 AM

Not easy at all. I was hoping to finish and file soon, maybe today, so I just looked again and found my IT-242 still listed on the NY Information worksheet. It says there it's for the Rehab credit, and the file name they assigned says "/attachment/it238.pdf" but in fact it's my IT-242. When I originally put in my "fake" Rehab credit claim of $1 so the PDF attachment possibility became active, I first tried ignoring the spot where they asked for the Rehab credit PDF and just inserted my true IT-242 information on the separate line for "other" forms, but that did not work. Instead I used the space they were providing for the Rehab Credit form and just  put my IT-242 there instead, and I then got a confirmation on the TurboTax screen that my forms had been successfully attached. I then saw on the Information worksheet that it was there, although shown there as IT-238, which it is not. It stayed that way even after I deleted the $1 "fake" Rehab credit I had put in only to be able to do this. Now, my NY IT-201-ATT (Other Tax Credits) shows only my conservation easement credit with its code 302 in box 12a. So, if and when I file I'm hoping they will find my IT-242 and ignore that TurboTax says it's for a Rehab credit for which they in any event won't find the IT-238 TurboTax may suggest they are getting. I'll try to post again after I try to file and hopefully get the returns accepted. Good luck with yours!

Level 3
Mar 7, 2021 2:06:21 PM

I spent some time on the phone with turbotax and they don't have any recommended workarounds for this or any explanation of why they broke the support this year.  Interestingly, if you pick a working credit and then try to use the "other pdf" box it does attempt to attach whatever you put into other, but then it seems to end up with nonsense during efile and fails with errors like this:

 

2021-03-07 16:33:39,017 [1] 2020.48.20.71 ERROR Intuit.Ctg.Wte.Service -
We are having difficulty recognizing the data you are sending. Please try again. - 601ERRV:?, FilingHdr_43 - ?:? - Invalid bodyComponentDescriptor name:

 

I tried one last time where it is filled in as a rehab credit and then squashed back down to $0 and it submits, but I'm pretty sure it does not send any attachments.  I attached the SysInternals ProcessMonitor debugging and do not see it read the attachment.  So I've submitted without the attachment and expect to hear from new york about a missing attachment.  Hopefully that is faster to fix than paper filing.

 

Good luck to you too.

 

 

 

Level 3
Mar 7, 2021 2:53:43 PM

I just efiled and did not get any error message. Maybe because I did not put my IT-242 in that "other PDF" box but instead in the box for the supported form, in effect "borrowing" that box in order to get my otherwise unsupported form to be attached? I agree - better to file without the form than to do paper filing just because TurboTax annoyingly would not allow that attachment. If and when New York asks for the missing form it would be easy to provide. Before I figured out my possible and hopefully successful workaround I looked but did not find an easy way to submit that single form to New York separately. After filing today I gave my TurboTax review and complained about this problem, also difficulty I had with several unsuccessful attempts to get ItsDeductible charitable contribution information to transfer in, which I finally succeeded to do on a last attempt before I filed, to avoid having to fill in all that information manually.

Level 3
Mar 7, 2021 3:41:49 PM

With the borrowed box I also got no errors, but the debugger showed that turbotax did not read the form during submission.  Thus I'm pretty sure I have not submitted the form using the borrowing trick.  However I never was able to get it to appear on Information sheet the way you were able.  Fingers crossed.

Level 3
Mar 8, 2021 8:38:55 AM

Rejected.  Something along the way can tell that the PDF is missing.  

 

It just says to use the PDF Attachments section which we know about and finally "If you are unable to transmit the required documents with your return, you will have to file via U.S. Mail"

 

One helpful hint "Total Other Refundable Credits claimed (IT-201-ATT Line 12 or IT-203-ATT line 12) is not equal to the credits in e-filed forms.  Each 'Other Refundable Credit" claimed must include the support tax form for the credit, either provided by the software or attached as a PDF, if not supported by the software."  This might mean it looks at the PDFs so it will be confused by the wrong PDF attached.

 

I'm trying again because today the Filling Information page is showing the IT-238 (borrowed form) properly listed.  Not sure why it didn't do that yesterday, but something has woken it up.  Let's see if in 24 hours it is accepted this time or whether I'm stuck paper filing.

 

 

 

 

Level 3
Mar 8, 2021 9:01:16 AM

Funny, because just about 10 minutes before an email arrived saying you had posted your last comment, I got an email from TurboTax saying the NY State return I filed yesterday was accepted! (My Federal return acceptance email came only about 15 minutes after I filed yesterday.) But it seems that where are you now after trying again is where I was yesterday before I efiled, with the "borrowed" IT-238 listed as a PDF attachment (although I assume it is actually your IT-242, just as I had put my IT-242 in that spot). Let's hope you are now heading toward acceptance and don't need to do paper filing.

Level 3
Mar 8, 2021 4:28:54 PM

"Your 2020 New York Personal return was accepted!"

 

I still expect a request from the State to give them the correct form.  But at least it is submitted and all the dollars are legit and match properly.  I'm bummed that Turbotax made such a mess this year.  The pandemic is hard on everyone I guess.

 

Level 3
Mar 8, 2021 4:36:37 PM

Good to know. I agree, if it means NYS may request the correct form if they did not get it with the filing, fine, I/we can do that readily. Still quite annoyed, without knowing the "technical" background why TurboTax changed what had been do-able previously. So, count me with you as "bummed" by how they hdandle this for 2020 tax returns. Not sure it's a pandemic issue or some other thing, maybe cost-cutting? At the risk of getting long-time customers annoyed for something that from afar seems routine or easy to fix, or just keep doing what has been OK in past years?

Level 3
Mar 8, 2021 4:42:59 PM

And every time I sign out on this forum I get an error message, once again diminishing confidence on how "on" TurboTax may be on technical/internet issues. Same with my difficulty in getting Intuit's "ItsDeductbile" charitable contribution information to transfer in, which happened successfully only after several failed tries but succeeded only as I was about to file and gave it one last chance.

Level 3
Mar 23, 2021 4:26:17 AM

My refund is short the amount of the conservation easement credit.  I'm hoping to get a DTF-160 soon showing they were confused and some detail on how to remedy.  Any news on yours?

Level 3
Mar 23, 2021 5:09:17 AM

No problem on mine. I saw last week that my refund had been approved, and this morning it was deposited in our bank account, and the amount definitely included the conservation easement credit. Too bad you've continued to have problems, hope they get resolved favorably and soon.

Level 3
Mar 23, 2021 5:18:32 AM

Awesome.  That is promising.  My taxes were a bit complicated this year, so could be anything, but suspiciously sized to the conservation easement credit.

Level 3
Mar 23, 2021 6:25:58 AM

In my experience, a call to NY Tax will get it fixed up.  They tend to miss the attachments and the phone reps can straighten it out in short order. 

I'm still waiting on a K-1, so I haven't filed yet...

Level 3
Jan 30, 2022 8:54:46 AM

They sorted it out for me when I called for 2020 taxes.  Looks like this year Turbotax has removed the attach PDF feature entirely.