Can't E-File Illinois Return because individual State W2s don't add up to federal

[packfan444]

Hello,

I'm trying to file my Illinois state return, but I get the following error message: "Return cannot be e-filed when the sum of Illinois wages plus out of state wages on all W-2s does not equal total wages reported on IL Schedule CR."  

I live in Illinois, but worked in IL, PA, and KS during the year, so three state returns.  After receiving the error message, I did some digging and realized the sum of my state wages, tips, etc. boxes for my three state W-2s are greater than box 1 on my federal W-2.  In speaking with my company's payroll department, evidently PA treats 401K contributions differently than federal rules, which results in a higher wage figure being reported for PA state purposes.  But as a result, it throws turbotax out of balance and it won't let me e-file.

Any suggestions on how to modify the input to Turbotax where it will let me e-file, without changing my actual tax liability?  I assume I should be able to change the amount of other state wages on my IL return such that it will cause everything to balance while not changing what I owe to Illinois, but have been unsuccessful in figuring it out myself.  Thanks

[DMarkM1 · Accepted solution]

In the IL state interview step-by-step edit the "Credits" section.  "Edit" or "revisit" the "Credit for Tax Paid to Another State" topic.  Click "Done" on the summary page and then you will arrive at a page showing total wages and other state amounts. You can adjust the "other state amount" box to be equal/less than the "total wages..." box. 

[rfive235]

I couldn’t file Illinois because I didn’t have any Illinois state withholding to report.  Turbo Tax is a mess this year.  

[AmyC]

You can file an IL return without state withholding. There must be more to this issue. Can you tell us the error message you see? Do you see it when trying to file? Are you trying to fix a reject? What is happening?

@rfive235