Alternative Vehicle Refueling Property Credit

[ddjjj]

Using TurboTax Premier 2019 online, I filled out the newly available section for form 8911, the Alternative Vehicle Refueling Property Credit. TurboTax returns with this message - your alternative vehicle refueling property credit is currently $0. This seems to be a glitch in the software. The credit should come out to 30% of the amount I enter for the total cost of the refueling station, right?

[BL10]

Having the same problem.

[JotikaT2]

You are correct, the calculation is 30% of the cost for the qualified property placed in service during the tax year.

However, the credit is limited to your taxable income.

If you do not owe any tax, any unused credit is lost.

You can check your tax due based upon your input so far by doing the following:

1. Select the left black panel of TurboTax and select Tax Tools.

2. Then select Tools beneath Tax Tools.

3. A "Tools Center" box will pop up, select "View Tax Summary"

4. You will see a screen that gives a snapshot of your taxes based upon your input so far.

5. Pay attention to the Total tax line.  If the total tax is zero, this is why it is showing your fuel credit as zero.

6. Select back in the black panel on the left to get back to the interview screens.

[DHG44]

My Alternative Vehicle Refueling Property Credit is also showing a zero.  My total tax line is well above zero, so I should be eligible to take the 30% credit.  Look like this is another EV glitch TT needs to resolve.  Please investigate.

[bs1026]

I'm having the exact same issue.  I've been waiting for two weeks for form 8911 to become available in TurboTax Premier Online.  I checked my Total Tax following the instructions provided above and it is several thousand dollars greater than 30% of the cost of my EV charging station, yet the Alternative Vehicle Refueling Property Credit is being calculated at $0.  This is a software glitch, please fix ASAP.

[akirsch]

It is not calculating correctly;  Please investigate further

[JohnB5677]

One of the conditions to qualify for Energy Efficient Credit is that you owe taxes.  If your credit is bigger than what you owe in taxes the credit will only reduce your taxes to zero.

[bs1026]

This is not a helpful response.  Several people here have already said that they have a remaining Total Tax well above their credit amount, i.e. they owe taxes, yet their credit amount is still being reported as zero.  This is a software bug - please address.

[akirsch]

@JohnB5677 lol.  Believe me I owe taxes.  I do understand the requirements of the 8911 form calculations and turbo tax is not calculating correctly.  I wish there was a thumbs down for your answers. 

[bs1026]

Has anyone gotten any more clarification on this 8911 issue?  The TurboTax reps have been predictably silent, either unwilling to admit their mistake or add useful information.

[akirsch]

I have contacted Turbotax support several times regarding this;  After sharing my return with the agent they are complaining about the VIN of my car (which is unrelated to the Form 8911).  Overall it appears difficult or impossible to get anyone from Turbotax to help.

This last time I talked with support the agent tried to get me to pay $90 for additional support to "Help me" with my taxes.  Disgusting.

[akirsch]

I did find an answer to why the credit was calculating at zero (Thanks Luis from Turbotax support).  It does have to do with AMT.   If your Regular Taxes Before Credits - Credits < Tentative Minimum Tax you get no credit. 

To verify the numbers visit "Federal" ->  "Other Tax Situations" -> Alternative Minimum Tax.  This will show you your Tentative Minimum Tax.

You can then visit Tax  Tools -> Review Tax Summary and Look at Tentative Tax - Total Credits and if that number is smaller than the Tentative Minimum Tax you get $0.00 credit.

If you switch to an itemized deduction you have a few (Charitable Donations, Sales Tax, and I think Mortgage Interest) deductions that get subtracted from Alternative Minimum Tax which might be enough to get you a credit.

Hope this helps others.

[DHG44]

My Regular Taxes Before Credits is greater than my Tentative Minimum Tax (by well more more than the refueling credit) but it is still computing a zero.  Can someone from TurboTax PLEASE take a look at your formula?  

[akirsch]

@DHG44 Sounds like you might not be including all of your credits.  Look at Tax Tools / Tax Summary and ensure you didn't forget about other credits (like foreign tax, child credits, etc)

[karenbendixobrie]

Did this ever get fixed for tax year 2020? I owe quite a bit of taxes and this form is not giving me the 30% credit towards my total tax. Maybe I'll try another tax preparing software.