TurboTax secretly does NOT download all the Massachusetts State Tax Form updates. How many updates were done for Mass?

[taxpocalypse]

Long story short, I've been using TurboTax for years and know it normally updates the Federal and State Forms, often numerous times.

To clarify: I have auto updates enabled on both machines, I let it update (and let it installed them), rebooted, checked for new updates (and let it install them), rebooted, checked for new updates, rebooted, let it sit for 4 hours, waited till next day and checked for updates. I also reinstalled and the desktop still shows the no MA update thing. 

I have TurboTax on my desktop and am filling it out like usual (I have progressed deep into the State tax section, I'm not at the beginning, I've gone all the way up to the point where I could file if I wanted to) notice it doesn't show having done ANY Massachusetts updates! 

Totally as a test (not expecting any differences), I installed it on a Laptop, and I was surprised to see it shows there was ONE Massachusetts update in May 20th 2020 (no other updates before or after).

Screenshots showing the 2 computers.
Desktop: https://i.imgur.com/rvV4wyO.png
Laptop: https://i.imgur.com/J2U5Lwk.png

Now my questions are, how many Massachusetts state updates does yours show??? How many SHOULD it be showing on a properly running TurboTax???

If my Desktop is already missing ONE (and I found it by complete accident), I'm not confident my laptop caught them all either (they could have been TWO, but my laptop picked up only one).

I only found this out by complete accident, I wonder it has affected other people who did not notice?

[SteamTrain]

Both of my computers show many Federal and State updates...several pages of them (since I installed in Dec). AND I force-check for software updates almost every week, since I'm using it every week. 

There's always Customer Support (during their weekday work hours) to see if they can determine if you have the latest MA updates installed on each...just make sure you have already forced an update from within the software first.

https://ttlc.intuit.com/community/using-turbotax/help/what-is-the-turbotax-phone-number/00/25632

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Don't know if the following explains part of your situation or not, but freeewheel thinking about it:

...if you have the auto-updates turned off ,  then you have to manually go to the "Check for Updates" selection in the top menu in order to get all the current updates.  So how many updates you see can depend on when you forced the update check last on each machine, and when exactly each set of software was installed.  Also, if you didn't use the software for a couple months, then a single update for Fed or State would cover all several updates in only one update.  i.e one update contains all the previous missed updates in single listing.

Perhaps for your desktop, maybe you have the initial install of MA that already contained the Laptop patch noted...but that's not an Update. 

From your pictures.....it looks to me like you have the auto-update turned off, and you either don't open the software very often, or don't force the software update very often from the top menu....or both.  You can check where yours is set on each computer by looking at the top menu (<Online<<Updater Preferences  ) 

 I have mine set as "Ask Me" so that I can check the update on my laptop with a test file before committing to using them on my Desktop, or skip the update if I decide I'm not ready to check my test file....I keep my real tax return on my Desktop, and a test file of the same thing  the laptop.

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For example, my laptop had the software installed at the same time as my desktop, but had far more updates on it since I use it more often, and check for, and install updates more often  ....But I do have to trigger the check for new updates myself every week since I help her in the Community and use the desktop software several days, every week (I usually check for updates on Friday since updates usually come out on Wed or Thurs).  

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That may not explain what you see, because it's impossible for us to know your exact setup on each one, and how often you've been using each computer.  

[taxpocalypse]

I have auto updates on and have been manually triggering them as well, rebooting often, leaving the computer to sit there, these are all the updates I could get.

Do you have MA as your state, could you please take a screenshot similar to mine, it will help me. I called CS but they didn't seem to understand and just said if it's going to automatically do it and whatever it does is defacto correct. 

[SteamTrain]

Nope...don't have MA.

@ScruffyCurmudgeon  and @linear  do, if they happen to be around, but they don't seem to have posted anything since July

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1)  One thing I could suggest would be to shut down and reboot your computer(s) once or twice.  Waiting, & unfinished  Windows updates have been known to block TTX updates, even if you don't know they are waiting

or

2)  The only other thing would be to uninstall and reinstall TTX, but that seem rash, and you'd have to start a test file to re-load & Install MA before you attempt to open your real tax file.

or

3)  Finish up (except for filing) on one computer, take a copy of that exact file to the other computer and open it there.  Print out a filing copy on both to see if there are any differences.

[SteamTrain]

or

4)  go up to the Help menu

<Click on "About TurboTax ....  2019" from the dropdown

<<Click on the "Components" tab

then check the version numbers for

.....  S2019MA  and  MAIndividual    (might be an extra letter in the S2019?MA..like maybe S2019ZMA)

to see if they are the same on both computers...if so, they probably contain the same MA software set  (I think....provided both are windows computers.)

[taxpocalypse]

Thank you for the tip SteamTrain, the Desktop one had different components than the laptop!!! I had previously tried uninstalling and reinstalling and that didn't fix it (and did the update process correctly, with scanning, updating, rebooting, repeating), anyway I got fed up and went straight to formatting the drive. This software is a nightmare, it sucks I have to rely on it for such an important task.

For now, I'll just continue doing the taxes on the laptop, but I still need to know what the latest components are for MA to make sure it's up to date because the moral of the story here is that it's buggy when it updates and in some weird situations it won't pick them up even if you do things correctly.

I hope I can find someone who has MA state installed and can make a screenshot of these two screens, that's all I need.

Online > View Installed Updates > (expand all)
https://i.imgur.com/H1EthIx.png

Help > About TurboTax > Components
https://i.imgur.com/6vGKzMM.png

I use Windows Snipping Tool and Imgur.com to make these updates. I hope there is someone on the forum who does MA taxes. 

[linear]

I file MA, but use TT on a Mac - which has different info available than Windows. No history of updates available, that I know of.

[SteamTrain]

Until someone with MA can reply......you might try the following on the Desktop install, before trying to run an update again.

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IF you have multiple users set up on your desktop, make sure you only operate in an account with administrator privileges ........ TTX should only be installed and run as an Administrator.....not in some guest account without administrator privileges...but it's hard to know each person's exact setup.

But even if you did that already, there is an internal setting that sometimes needs to be implemented also.

So...Save your tax file and Exit TurboTax....then:

 1)  right click TurboTax 2019 icon

2)  Select  … Properties

3)  Select the  Compatibility tab

4) In the "Settings" box … check the box to "Run this program as an administrator"

5) Apply...OK...then restart the program and try the update process again

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 This has fixed other issues for some users, but not sure about yours

[taxpocalypse]

Thanks, I did reinstall it on a fresh OS and the user account is already admin, I also tried the tip you gave just in case though. So far, I have the same updates on both PCs now, but it's only showing one MA update from May 2020, really appreciate your helps and all the extra tips. Due to all this weirdness I still do want to confirm the updates with someone who has MA, so I'll leave this here in case someone scrolls down....

I hope I can find someone who has MA state installed and can make a screenshot (or tell me info) from these two screens , that's all I need.

1. Online > View Installed Updates > (expand all)  
https://i.imgur.com/H1EthIx.png

(if you cant send a screenshot, can you tell me if its the same or if there's a difference anywhere?)

2. Help > About TurboTax > Components
https://i.imgur.com/6vGKzMM.png
(if you cant send a screenshot, can you tell me what it says next to S2019ZMA and MAindividual?)

For screenshot I use Windows Snipping Tool and upload them to Imgur.com (no account needed). I hope there is someone on the forum who does MA taxes. 

[SteamTrain]

@GabiU     

Can you help here finding someone at TTX who can tell what the latest MA version is and whether this user has the fully updated MA software? 

........Perhaps using their "Components" version listing for  S2019ZMA and MAIndividual?

[Critter-3]

FYI ... the updates that happen late in the year are usually only minor fixes and do not affect the filed returns.  Once you have filed you really should not only save the filed return as a PDF and a .taxfile to a removable storage medium like a thumb drive  but also shut off the auto updater system.   Unless you get an email from TT telling you of a correction that may require you to amend your return you don't really need the program any longer.  

If you need to discuss this further contact TT support ...  

https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/1899263-what-is-the-turbotax-phone-number

They are available from 5 a.m. to 5 p.m. Pacific time   Monday - Friday

[lambscape]

Missing Mass tax form M1310. Was it present in 2022? No;.But It shows up on the Mass tax forms website.

[AmyC]

There are some situations the program does not handle. We do have a place to check forms availability here. I do not see the M-1310 available.

Reference:

Tax situations TurboTax does not handle

Form M-1310 Statement of Person Claiming Refund Due a Refund

DOR Estate Tax Forms and Instructions

@lambscape