Information for I Bond purchases not generating form 8888

[savings10703]

also not reducing refund amount

[M-MTax]

This? https://turbotax.intuit.com/tax-tips/tax-refund/guide-to-irs-form-8888-direct-deposit-of-your-tax-re...

[SundayInSalem]

Check how you entered your refund information. TurboTax will generate Form 8888 if you are setting aside part of your refund to purchase US Savings Bonds.

The total refund amount on Form 1040 line 35a will remain the same because you are splitting your refund — part of being used to buy US Savings Bonds and the rest is coming to you.

1. Click on Print Center in the left column
2. Select 2020 Federal return
3. Choose any option (Just my returns(s) works fine

The cover sheet should show your refund split.

[Steve C2]

I am unable to complete my request to file my federal and state taxes and request my federal refund be used to buy I bonds. I navigate to the page where I enter the amount of the I bonds I want to buy, and the name, and also I am able to enter on a following page the account info for direct deposit for the state refund, and then the website kicks me back to the page I started at, asking if I want to file and split the federal refund to I bonds and deposit. This has been going on for two weeks now, I have called three times and spoke to the Live tax advisors who are unable to help but assure me that the issue will be fixed within 'days'. Help. I have already paid Turbo Tax fees and now am unable to proceed to file. 

[DaraLO]

Steve C2 Do you know if you spoke with a TurboTax Live representative who assists with tax preparation?  Or did you speak with a support representative who can help troubleshoot technical issues?

Please try the following:

• If you are preparing your return with TurboTax Online, please sign out of your account and clear your browser's cache and cookies. 
• For the CD/Download software, check for updates or update manually using the steps listed here.

If the above doesn't resolve the issue, please reply to this thread for further assistance.

[SweetieJean]

@Steve C2  Are you also trying to pay your TT fees from your Federal refund?

[Steve C2]

I spoke to the Turbo Tax agents three times over the past two weeks, all of them recognized the issue, but none could help me to fix it. One identified that Form 8888 which is needed to file the request to buy the I bonds is not available on Turbo Tax Tools so she thought that was part of the issue too. Clearing cookies and cache did not change anything. So I'm still stuck.

[Steve C2]

No Turbotax fees have already been paid for by credit card. I'm just trying to buy I bonds with my Federal refund and have my State refund direct deposited to my bank account. 

[SweetieJean]

This provision worked fine when I used it in TT Online. If you're using TT desktop, please run a program update.

What is the amount of your Federal refund? 

Using Your Income Tax Refund to Save by Buying U.S. Savings Bonds | Internal Revenue Service (irs.go...

[SweetieJean]

If you are filing Form 8888 only to buy paper Series I savings bonds, skip Part I and go to Part II.

Form 8888 (Rev. November 2021) (irs.gov) instructions

[Steve C2]

Thanks. My refund is 2750 so all  of it is going to I bond purchases, so there is no direct deposit and as you said no need for Part 1 of Form 8888. I'm using TT online. I don't fill out the forms directly, I enter the info in the Turbotax interface and Form 8888 should be generated for me but after I fill out the name and amount info for the I bond purchase, and the checking account info for the state refund, Turbotax loops me back to the page when I start the I bond purchase, over and over, and never lets me go forward from this step. How long ago did you file - I heard from the TT advisor I spoke with that this issue has been reported for about 3 weeks now - so I guess it was working OK before. Now when you go to search for Form 8888 in Tools, it isn't even available in TT online.