Must file state tax electronic

[AE4R]

Have already filed Fed tax by mail. TT won't allow me to file VA tax electronically as the state requires. Please advise workaround.

[DoninGA]

Virginia only requires electronic filing of a personal income tax return under specific circumstances  - https://www.tax.virginia.gov/electronic-filing-requirements

Fiduciary and Individual filers who meet these criteria are required to file electronically:

• Any installment payment of estimated tax exceeds $2,500 or
• Any payment made for an extension of time to file exceeds $2,500 or
• The total income tax liability for the year exceeds $10,000

TurboTax is Not a paid tax preparer.  The tax return is self-prepared using the TurboTax software.

[AE4R]

Thanks for your kind help. My 2021 tax liability exceeds $10K. So TT advised I need to file electronically. I filed my Federal tax by mail. Now TT won't allow me to file VA electronically. I don't want to file Fed again, electronically if I can help it. What would you advise?

[DoninGA]

@AE4R TurboTax has prohibited the e-filing of a state tax return if the federal tax return is not e-filed.  Unfortunately there is no other option but to e-file the federal tax return so that you can e-file the state return.

If the IRS has not started processing the mailed federal tax return they should Accept the e-filed federal return.  If the IRS has started processing the mailed return then they will Reject the e-filed federal return.

I checked the Virginia Department of Taxation website and they do not offer e-filing.  They only give list of firms that provide e-filing, TurboTax being one of them.

[ersawtelle]

SAME PROBLEM. Turbo Tax desktop will NOT allow me to submit my MFS Virginia electronically (my wife is a Florida resident and I am a Virginia resident), after I submitted my MFJ Federal 2021 return electronically (as recommended by TT Help). Since my Virginia 2021 Tax Liability is above $10k, I MUST file my Virginia State return electronically, however TurboTax 2021 Premier desktop will NOT allow me to do so. I have now created the "mock" MFS Federal return (as TT recommended) to populate my Virginia state return, however TT will not allow me to file my Virginia State return electronically unless I electronically file my corresponding "mock" MFS Federal return. TT will NOT allow me to file my state return electronically any other way. I have already filed my Federal MFJ return and received that refund. How do I file my VA return electronically?

[fanfare]

@DoninGA

cc:  @AE4R 

"If the IRS has not started processing the mailed federal tax return they should Accept the e-filed federal return.  If the IRS has started processing the mailed return then they will Reject the e-filed federal return."

You might think so.

This is really bad advice.

Your tax return will be marked "976 Duplicate return filed" and goes into a black hole at the IRS.