Does anybody know what the FEMA Disaster number is for COVID that TurboTax is saying I need to enter?

[bigrefund2007]

I took a COVID withdrawal from my 401K in 2020 and spread it over 3 years but TurboTax is saying I need to enter a FEMA Disaster Number on my 2021 8915-F

[FangxiaL]

I don't believe you need a FEMA number for this.

Here is the screen you will see to let TurboTax know that you need to report the 2nd 1/3 of the distribution you took in 2020. But Form 8915-F is not ready till later this week:

[FangxiaL]

As of today, you can work on the 2020 Covid-related distribution now. There is a check box to mark. See the screenshot below:

[katederrick0]

I am receiving same error in final review of my federal.  I too took covid related irs distribution in 2020 and Spread over 3 years.  I did as the above and checked covid related and input line items required but am still being asked for additional input for final review 

[bigrefund2007]

I figured out that if I hit the spacebar for a single space the TurboTax error message goes away and the form does not show anything on the FEMA lines while the box for COVID remains checked and used in the calculation.

[ABigRefund69]

I have the exact same error and question. Can someone at TurboTax please help?

[DianeW777]

Yes.  There is no FEMA number for the COVID disaster distribution from your retirement plan.  Enter nothing or none and you can move to the questions related to your qualifying distribution and report 1/3 of the taxable amount.  The steps below may be helpful.

You must have your Form 8915-E from your 2020 tax return.

1. Wages & Income > Retirement Plans and Social Security > 
2. IRA, 401(k), Pension Plan Withdrawals (1099-R) >  Start, Revisit or Update > Continue
3. Answer Yes  'Have you ever taken a disaster distribution before 2021?
4. Answer Yes, You had a 2020 Qualified Disaster Distribution
5. Complete the Information using your 2020 Tax return > Continue
6. Enter any amount you may have  repaid in 2021, if applicable
7. Finish the entry for your spouse if applicable or just click Continue
8. Complete any additional retirement questions as you move through this section
9. Continue until you have finished and returned back to the Wages & Income Screen.
10. Do NOT stop and change sections without completing it.

[TValentine1]

How can we delete the name if we already typed “Covid” into that section? 

[DoninGA]

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@TValentine1 wrote:

How can we delete the name if we already typed “Covid” into that section? 

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It does not matter what is entered for the FEMA name since the Coronavirus was not a FEMA disaster.

[kell2711]

Just click the box and hit space. It will be blank on the form and satisfy turbo tax. 

[LeonardS]

You do not need a FEMA Disaster number for COVID.  You will check the box as shown in the screenshot posted by when preparing your tax return and TurboTax will not ask you for a FEMA Number.

[bigrefund2007]

Note this question was perhaps only applicable on Wednesday night after TTax had added the 8915-F.  I realized that COVID did not need a FEMA disaster number, but on Wednesday night when you got to the review section, a TTax message said you had to enter one (corrected by now?) and would not let you get by this to file.  As I mentioned, I found the blank space when the box appeared in the review as a solution.  Thanks.

[ldawn513]

That is bizarre. I tried hitting the spacebar once like you said, and it worked perfectly. Thank you so much. How did you figure out that trick? 

[firewall2]

Your explanation as to how to fill this out is correct.  The problem that I think you are missing is that the data validation within this cell is not de-activated by the check box as it should be.  You have numerous people pointing out that if they put a space in the FMEA box, the error goes away.  This is because a space is actually a character.  I'm assuming that the data validation within the FMEA block only requires that something be entered, so the space is fulfilling this requirement.  Please get your programmers to fix this issue as it's highly annoying.

[christjazz1]

Does this satisfy the beginning and end dates for the disaster too?