Why do I get "Sch SE-T: Max deferral line 18 is too large"? I have "0". My line 4c is a loss (negative). I cannot get past this error!

[LenaH]

First, please follow these steps in TurboTax to make sure you did not elect to defer your self-employment taxes:

1. Open your return.
2. Click Federal on the left hand side. 
3. Click Deductions and Credits on the top of the page.
4. On the page Tax Breaks, scroll down until you see Tax relief related to Covid-19.
5. Click Revisit next to Self-employment tax deferral. 
6. Answer no to the question Do you want more time to pay self-employment taxes? 

If that that does clear your error, please try the following:

• Remove the 0 and leave the entry blank 
• Just enter 0 (with no decimal points)

[mre1178]

>> If that that does clear your error, please try the following:

If doesn't.

>> Remove the 0 and leave the entry blank 

Remove the 0 from what?

>> Just enter 0 (with no decimal points)

Enter 0 where?

[JamesG1]

I think it is referring to a $0 dollar amount at the screen Tell us how much you'd like to defer.

In TurboTax Online Self-Employed, I was able to remove self-employment tax deferral and pass Review.  In some cases, you may need to add temporary income to your self-employment activity to generate a balance due and allow you to access the self-employment tax deferral questions.  Follow these steps.

• Down the left side of the screen, click on Federal.
• Across the top of the screen, click on Deductions  & credits.
• Under Your tax breaks, scroll down to Self-employment tax deferral.
• Click on Edit/Add to the right of Self-employment tax deferral.
• At the screen Do you want more time to pay your self-employment tax?, click Yes.
• At the screen Let's start by getting your eligible income, I have left the dollar amount that was previously entered, others change this amount to $0.
• Click on Continue.
• At the screen Tell us how much you'd like to defer, delete the dollar amount.
• Click Continue.
• Click through Federal Review to make sure than the Review issue has been removed.
• At the screen Some of your self-employment taxes may be eligible, click Skip. 

The self-employment tax deferral is an optional benefit.  It is also a deferral rather than forgiveness, so those amounts will eventually need to be repaid. Half of the deferred amount is due on December 31, 2021, and the other half is due on December 31, 2022.