Other Income Taxes Under Estimates and Other Taxes Paid on 2020 Premier CD and Online Versions

[mley]

I completed the 2020 taxes using the turbotax premier CD version.  I decided to create the same taxes using the online version and noticed that the 2020 CD Premier version has values for Other Income Taxes under the Estimates and Other Taxes Paid under the Deductions & Credits Tab (Federal Taxes - main Tab).  However, when I created the same 2020 taxes using the online version, the Estimates and Other Taxes Paid does not get created, including the line item: Other Income Taxes.  This line item (Other Income Taxes) is on the 2020 CD version and it is calculated using Federal Withholding, State Withholding and State mandatory taxes using the info from your W-2 under Wages & Income.  My turbotax CD version has the latest updates as of March 6, 2021. 

The CD version states that I have a payment due on my Federal Tax and a refund on my State.  The online version states that I get refunds for both Federal and State.   The State refunds between the CD and online version do not match. I don't know if the issue I am describing above would explain the discrepancy between 2020 TurboTax premier CD version and the online version.    

Any help is greatly appreciated

[BillM223]

It is an unfortunate situation that the interviews between the various platforms and products of TurboTax do not have the same headings and screens in all cases.

Below "CD/download" refers to the Home & Business product on Windows 10. "Online" refers to the Premier product online.

#1

CD/download - "Other Income Taxes" refers to extension payment, carryover of refund, and other taxes paid not reported on W-2, etc.

Online - "Income Taxes Paid" is the same section, asking about extension payment, carryover of refund, and other taxes paid not reported on W-2, etc. W-2 or 1099 withholding is not here. 

#2

CD/download - "Estimates" - refers to 1040-ES payments

Online - "Estimated Tax Payments" - refers to 1040-ES payments

As best I can tell, the information asked for underneath each heading is the same online and offline (please correct me if I am wrong).

It concerns me that your refund amounts are different, but I can't tell what you entered.

Can you tell us what you entered for 1040-ES payments (if anything), W-2 and 1099 withholding, and any other payments.

May I assume that the assessed tax (tax on taxable income) is the same between online and desktop? 

[mley]

Hi BillM223, it may be easier to discuss and review the issues with a phone conversation if possible.  First of all, I am not self employed so estimated taxes should not apply to me.  I don't use 1040 EZ payments either. I have redone the taxes on desktop and online at least 10 times with the same outcome. 

If we can get into a screen share session, you will be able to see the issue.  Please let me know if that is possible

Thanks 

[Critter-3]

If you entered the same info into both programs you will get the same bottom lines ... so review each form 1040 side by side and see where the difference(s) are ...  

How do I preview my TurboTax Online return before filing?

You can view your entire return or just your 1040 form before you e-file:

1. Open or continue your return.
2. Select Tax Tools in the left menu (if you don't see this, select the menu icon in the upper-left corner).
3. With the Tax Tools menu open, you can then:
• Preview your entire return: Select Print Center and then Print, Save, or Preview This Year's Return (you may be asked to register or pay first).
• View only your 1040 form: Select Tools. Next, select View Tax Summary in the pop-up, then Preview my 1040 in the left menu.

[VolvoGirl]

And Windows or Mac?  You know in the Desktop program you can switch to Forms Mode  and look around at the Forms and worksheets.  To see all the forms in the online version you have to pay the fees first.

OH! OH!  Here's what you can do without paying for online!  You can download the .tax2020 data file from online and open it in the program then you can see everything.

To continue in the desktop version see this…….

https://ttlc.intuit.com/community/choosing-a-product/help/how-do-i-switch-from-turbotax-online-to-th...

[mley]

HI Critter-3, I have compared section by section between the desktop and the online version.   The only difference that I found is that the desktop version (Premier) has the Estimates and Other Taxes Paid section under Deduction & Credits.  There is a line item called "Other Income Taxes".  There is value for 2019 and 2020.  This value is calculated from the W-2: Federal Withholding, State Withholding and State mandatory taxes.  I did not enter any values in this section.  On the online version, the entire section under Estimates and Other Taxes Paid is blank.  

I suspect that this may be explain the discrepancy in the final outcome.   However, how do I know which is one is correct?  I think the only way to sort this out is to have a review session.  

[mley]

Hi VolvoGirl, I'll give it a try this weekend.  Thank you for the recommendation.  

[mley]

Hi VolvoGirl, I was able to transfer the online tax file to my CD/Download software.  The final refund amounts remain the same as the online version.  Thank you for your recommendation 

[VolvoGirl]

Then did you look around and compare it to your first desktop return to see what's different?  You really should.  You should have both files on your computer with different names.  Open each one (only 1 at a time).  Print out one of the 1040s and then open the other return and compare it.  

[mley]

I will do the comparison this weekend.  Thanks

[mley]

I did the comparison between the desktop and online version and found the discrepancy.   Thank you

[VolvoGirl]

And?  What was it?

[mley]

The points I paid for the refinance in Dec 2020, was fully deducted in 2020 and not amortized.  I need to go back to the workflow on the online to outline the steps/questions.  

Now, since I have redone my taxes on the CD/Premiere version, for some reason, it is not asking me for the points I paid in Dec 2020.  Is this because, it was done in Dec 2020?  I need to look into this in more detail.  Any ideas why the CD/Premiere version did not ask me about the points I paid in Dec 2020?