NY State efile and estimated taxes ?

[Scottryan1010]

I’m in the same boat as you. My federal was accepted and it’s still asking to mail in state. I have never done that before and my taxes are the same every year. I don’t know if I did I something wrong on my federal Because it says on my state that I have no refund due and no balance due but I owe estimated tax for 2021? I’ve never had that before. I thought maybe because I filed to early and federal didn’t transfer over to state yet but it’s still saying to mail it in and still showing these estimates taxes. I’m lost on this one. Someone please help. 

[LenaH]

Although you can e-file your federal and state taxes together, if you choose to e-file your federal first, you'll have to wait until that return has been accepted before you can e-file your state.

Once your federal return has been accepted you should be able to e-file your New York State return. 

To e-file your state return:

1. In TurboTax Online, sign in to your account.
2. Select Tax Home in the left menu.
3. Scroll down to Your tax returns & documents.
4. Select 2020, and then select Add a State (you're not actually adding a state, this just gets you into the right area).
5. Select File in the left menu (expand your browser window if you don't see this, or select the menu icon in the top left corner).
6. On the Just one more step screen, follow steps 1 and 2 if you haven't already.
7. Select the Start button to the right of Step 3.
8. On the Let's get ready to e-file screen, select I want to e-file.
9. Follow the instructions to e-file your return.

Regarding the estimated taxes, you have the ability to change them in TurboTax. 

Please follow these instructions to do so:

1. Open your tax return.
2. Search for estimated tax payments with the magnifying glass tool on the top of the page. 
3. Click on the Jump to estimated tax payments link at the top of the search results.
4. Click on Start next to State estimated taxes for 2020.
5. Select no for the question Did you pay state estimated taxes for 2020?
6. Follow the on-screen instructions. 

[Scottryan1010]

Thank you for responding. It won’t let me change to efile because it says I have a special tax situation and I can’t add estimate tax because we never paid that before. Just whatever tax is withheld from our paychecks. We never had to pay any estimated taxes so that’s why I am

so confused 

[LenaH]

Does it say what exactly is your special tax situation? Please comment back and I can assist you further.

@Scottryan1010

[Scottryan1010]

It’s not even telling me that. I’ve never had this issue before and nothing has changed in how we do our taxes so I’m so confused. Money is taken out each paycheck for federal and state and we are still getting a federal refund. State is throwing me all off. It says we have 0 refund coming snd 0 balance due? 

[LenaH]

Unfortunately, it may be best to delete the state return and restart. If your return is in line with previous years and you just have W-2 income, you should have no problem e-filing your New York return. There must have been something entered erroneously on the state side, which would explain the need for state estimated taxes as well. Thankfully, mostly everything on the state side flows from the federal input, so it will not take you much time. 

Please follow these instructions:

1. Open your return.
2. Click State on the left hand side.
3. Delete the New York state return with the trash can icon. 
4. Click on Add a State.
5. Choose New York. 
6. Follow the instructions on the following screens. 

Please let me know if you should encounter any further issues. 

@Scottryan1010

[Scottryan1010]

I actually had went in and revisited every section of state and I’m not sure what I did but now the estimated payments are gone, however it’s still saying I can’t efile because of a tax situation? Could it be that New York State hasn’t started accepting efile yet and that’s why it can’t go through? Do you still suggest I delete state and re do it? Does it affect my federal  which was already submitted and accepted? 

[LenaH]

No, it will not effect your federal return and New York has started accepting e-filed returns. 

You are able to e-file your state separately using the instructions given above. It is possible that one of the forms you need is not ready or not available to be e-filed. 

To check NYS form availability in TurboTax, please see NYS Individual Form Availability

From your description, it does not seem like this would be the issue, however, since you had no problems in the past and had a similar tax situation in 2020. What do you have on your return besides a W-2? 

@Scottryan1010 

[Scottryan1010]

My only difference is that I had received unemployment this year. So my husband had his regular w2 snd I had unemployment. Do you still suggest I delete state and redo it

[LenaH]

Before you delete the state and redo it, please make sure your 1099-G from your husband's unemployment was entered correctly. 

Please follow these instructions to enter your 1099-G: 

1. Open your return.
2. Search for 1099-G with the magnifying glass tool on the top of the page.
3. Select the Jump to 1099-G link in the search results. 
4. Click Edit next to your 1099-G input.
5. Make sure everything is entered as shown on your 1099-G.

Keep in mind that if no state tax was withheld, you do not have to enter NY or the identification number. 

If you still are not able to e-file, I would recommend deleting the return and restarting. 

@Scottryan1010

[Scottryan1010]

Everything on that is correct and it won’t let me not put New York on there. It still won’t let me efile 

[LenaH]

If none of my previous instruction worked, then it is recommended to delete your NY return and start over. 

@Scottryan1010

[candycandles]

Having this issue as with not being able to efile and I wasn't able to delete the tax return to start over. When I click start over, it brings me to a page that says I have already started my NY state tax return. I am using the IRS free file version.

[Scottryan1010]

I was on the phone with turbo tax for hours regarding this. I felt so bad because he exhausted every option trying to figure it out and we still ended the call stumped. I can’t delete it either because I already efiled my federal and paid. He said the only other option would be to buy the software and try it that way. I use the app on my phone and I go on the webpage through my computer so maybe if I bought the software it would be different? 

[CarissaM]

Thank you for letting us know of this issue. We will look into this to see if there are other similar experiences.