Why sign in to the Community?

  • Submit a question
  • Check your notifications
Sign in to the Community or Sign in to TurboTax and start working on your taxes
Level 2
posted Mar 8, 2022 4:14:01 PM

Disaster Tax Relief box is automatically checked and I can not uncheck it

Disaster Tax Relief:
Check if you took a disaster distribution between 2018 and 2020
 
This box is checked and I am completely unable to uncheck it. I did not check this box and I can not file my taxes while it is checked. However, I can't change this value in deductions, and I can't uncheck the box (it re-fills itself with a check mark). I have tried to clear my cache and my cookies multiple times. This is extremely frustrating because I did not check this box at all, nor did I answer any questions about disaster distribution, yet I have spent an hour trying to uncheck this stupid box.

2 28 7754
1 Best answer
Level 2
Mar 11, 2022 2:28:35 PM

I have spent 15+ hours of my life trying to fix this issue to file my taxes. I have decided I am breaking up with Turbo Tax. I just filed my taxes with H&R Block and it took me less than an hour from start to finish, I got the same refund as on Turbo Tax, and it costs me less than half of what Turbo Tax usually costs me. AND I didn't have to deal with the nightmare of the box being checked for me over and over again. Sorry not sorry Turbo Tax, we're done.

24 Replies
Level 2
Mar 8, 2022 4:28:41 PM

In the Federal section, it continuously tells me the "IRA, 401(k), Pension Plan Withdrawals..." section needs review, although I have answered no to those questions 20+ times.

This is like my 11th or 12th year in a row using Turbo Tax. These issues are making me want to file a different way.

Level 1
Mar 11, 2022 11:52:12 AM

If you are in TTO, click income & expense. Scroll all  the way down, then click Wrap up income. The question will pop up asking: Did you take a diester distribution at any time between 2018 and 2020? Check the box: No, I didn't. 

 

If you are in TTD, click personal>personal income>I will choose what I work on>scroll all the way down, then click Done with Personal Income. The question will pop up asking: Did you take a diester distribution at any time between 2018 and 2020? Check the box: No, I didn't. 

Level 2
Mar 11, 2022 1:40:41 PM

I have done these exact steps multiple times. This does not clear the check box. 

Level 2
Mar 11, 2022 2:28:35 PM

I have spent 15+ hours of my life trying to fix this issue to file my taxes. I have decided I am breaking up with Turbo Tax. I just filed my taxes with H&R Block and it took me less than an hour from start to finish, I got the same refund as on Turbo Tax, and it costs me less than half of what Turbo Tax usually costs me. AND I didn't have to deal with the nightmare of the box being checked for me over and over again. Sorry not sorry Turbo Tax, we're done.

Level 1
Mar 11, 2022 3:05:13 PM

Did you call the expert for help? I followed the instruction and it did help me to clear the box. If not, it might be something flow from you prior year return. If so, you are unable to uncheck the box. 

Returning Member
Mar 12, 2022 1:28:27 PM

@Potatowhirl : Which service did u opt for with H&R blcok, too many options. I am guessing the disaster releif of 2020 is a non issue with H&R block, correct ?

Level 2
Mar 12, 2022 3:36:47 PM

I opted for the deluxe edition e-file for H&R block, I think it was $29.99 plus 39.99 to have the cost deducted from my refund. My state and federal were both approved immediately, like within the hour after I submitted them. Super easy. And no issues at all with the disaster relief box! 

Level 2
Mar 12, 2022 3:40:10 PM

I spent over 2 hours on the phone with TurboTax and they were unable to fix the issue or provide me any help. I was told it was because a special tax form auto-generated for the disaster relief, and unchecking the box did not delete the form so the box check mark kept re-populating to match the form status. Doesn't matter now, I filed with H&R block instead. 

Level 1
Mar 13, 2022 2:44:03 PM

What are TTO and TTD?????

Level 1
Mar 14, 2022 7:47:21 AM

This thread is becoming a great advertisement for your competitors, Is there any plan to fix this issue so I can e-file my taxes with turbo tax, or to I jump ship too? 

New Member
Mar 14, 2022 11:23:23 AM

Seriously... Im so glad this post exists cause it wont let me for the life of me and I cant move forward. Literally forcing people to file incorrectly if they continue. 

Expert Alumni
Mar 14, 2022 1:24:58 PM

There should be a page in the step-by-step section of your return where you can answer the question about disaster distributions with 'No'.  If you entered any Form 1099-R in your return you will have already seen that question one time, but there is another one out there for users who did not enter any Form 1099-R information.

 

Please try the following steps if you are using TurboTax Online to see if the error message will clear:

  • Go to Federal on the left side of the screen
  • Go to Wages & Income at the top of the screen
  • Scroll to the bottom of the section without making any changes and click Wrap Up Income
  • Continue moving forward until you see a question about whether you took a disaster distribution in 2020 and select 'No'
  • Run the Federal Review again to see if the error has cleared

 

Please try the following steps if you are using a CD/downloaded version of TurboTax:

  • Go to Wages & Income at the top of the screen (or Personal > Personal Income)
  • Click I'll choose what I work on
  • Scroll to the bottom of the section without making any changes and click Done with Income
  • Continue moving forward until you see a question about whether you took a disaster distribution in 2020 and select 'No'
  • Run the Federal Review again to see if the error has cleared

 

If you have tried these steps and you did not see a question about the disaster distributions in 2020, then repeat the steps for the Deductions & Credits section of your return until the question is located.  

 

@notaxexpert22

@iEXCEEDi

Level 2
Mar 14, 2022 1:56:23 PM

What you Experts don't seem to understand is that re-answering the question DOES NOT CLEAR THE BOX even if you do it 100 times. Your software is broken and your "experts" continuously telling us to re-answer the question is an insult to our intelligence. Fix the software. But regardless, I was a 10-year customer and you lost my business for good. 

New Member
Mar 14, 2022 7:42:47 PM

Such a tragic bug in the software... I followed the advice from the "experts" as well, but in the end the easiest workaround was to go to H&R Block - where they charged me $30 less for the same service. Bye bye TurboTax! 

Level 1
Mar 15, 2022 3:09:27 PM

I tried the instructions and the question never comes back. I recall it asking me once but it never triggers the question again.

Level 1
Mar 15, 2022 4:45:15 PM

I tried to complete this today and it worked. I was able to e-file like I wanted to.

New Member
Mar 21, 2022 7:34:35 AM

Go back and complete the federal income section having to do with 1099-R.  I had this problem, and found that I never completed that section (because I did not have a 1099-R).  But, if you complete the section anyway, it will uncheck that box for you.

New Member
Mar 21, 2022 9:03:58 AM

I had this problem for a couple weeks, at least. I thought disaster relief had something to do w/ stimmy checks, but it absolutely does not. I thought I tried every combo, but I either found the perfect combo or TT quietly fixed a bug:

Go to "Tax Tools -> Delete a Form -> *delete form 1099-R*

THEN go to Federal -> wages & income -> go through the 401-k, retirement, disaster relief section (i.e. no I didn't receive any disaster relief), and continue through until you're PAST the wages & income section

 

At this point it was FINALLY clear for me. Cheers

Level 1
Mar 21, 2022 5:03:30 PM

I see all this discussion of not taking the distribution, however, I did.  It is reported in last year's return.  Am I supposed to file an inaccurate return an say "no"?  Been having challenges with TT for several years now and it seems to get worse every year.  

 

My question is: I have taken the disaster distribution, how should I handle the entry on my return?

 

Thanks 

Level 1
Mar 21, 2022 6:35:27 PM

Thank you!

Level 1
Mar 23, 2022 7:57:54 AM

This is a fix that I have found that works a lot of the time. When you answer no under the 401k section, and get back to the Wages and Income summary, click continue at the bottom of the screen, and you will have ANOTHER question that is usually automatically checked yes. It should not be in there twice but it is. 

New Member
Mar 24, 2022 1:06:46 PM

I have CD Turbotax and this method worked for me. 

New Member
Mar 25, 2022 7:05:23 AM

This is the tip you all need. I wrestled with this stupid check box for days and couldn’t find any help that actually helped, until this. Read it, do it, be done with this crap for another year. THANK YOU ANNETTEB6 

Level 1
Mar 26, 2022 11:19:00 AM

Thanks for the suggestions!  I went through the steps you listed for TTD and it fixed my problem.