Here's the message:
S3-F1040-144 - If Schedule 3 (Form 1040), 'ExcessSocSecAndTier1RRTATaxAmt' has a non-zero value, then at least two Form W-2s with the same 'EmployeeSSN' must be present in the return.
I checked (through EasyStep of my TurboTax Desktop Premier) and confirmed that my SSN was shown on both of my W2,s and my wife's SSN was shown on both of her W2s. The excess social security withhold is for me, so my wife's W2s shouldn't matter. I even checked W2s under 'Forms', and my SSN was shown on both W2s.
Experts, any suggestion on solving this issue? TurboTax Smart Check did not show any error. I have zero for box 1 of one of my W2 (IHSS livein provider in Calfornia), but should be fine. I found https://www.thomsonreuters.com/en-us/help/ultratax-cs/1040/1040-e-file-errors/s3-f1040-144 regarding zero on box 1 of W2, but I am not sure if that's correct.
If, unfortunately, I have to mail in my federal tax return, what pages/forms should I print out and send?
Did you try deleting your W-2's and reentering them? Sometimes that clears up issues.
If you are using TurboTax Desktop, you can enter your Form W-2 as follows:
Click here for additional information on manually entering your W-2.
Click here for additional information regarding editing your Form W-2
Thanks @LindaS5247 I deleted all W2s and entered them again, but that did not help. My Federal efile was still rejected with the same error code. I guess I am out of luck?! I will get ready to file by mail.
Have you tried calling TurboTax Customer Support? They may be able to share your screen and help you better. You can try contacting TurboTax Customer service using this link: Turbo Tax Customer Service
Thanks @LindaS5247 I just called Intuit support, but still no luck. The support person said he hadn't heard of errors for such cases. He found me some discussion on the same error but for excess social security withholding with one W2.
The error number you cited has to do with excess social security withholding. In order to receive a refundable credit for excess social security withholding, you have to have reported at least two Forms W-2. If you had excess withholding from just one employer, you need to ask the employer to refund the excess withholding. If the employer doesn't adjust the overcollection, you can use Form 843, Claim for Refund and Request for Abatement to claim a refund. Attach copies of your Forms W-2, Wage and Tax Statement for the year to Form 843.
See IRS Tax Topic 608 and this help article for more information.
The error message for S3-F1040-144 reads: If Schedule 3 (Form 1040), 'ExcessSocSecAndTier1RRTATaxAmt' has a non-zero value, then at least two Form W-2s with the same 'EmployeeSSN' must be present in the return.
Revisit the W-2 section. If you are filing a joint return, check to see if you have identified each W-2 correctly as "self" or "spouse". If a W-2 is mislabeled as belonging to the wrong spouse, TurboTax will see the Social Security withholding as belonging to one person instead of two.
Removing the credit from Schedule 3 of your return should resolve the error.
Thanks @MonikaK1 Neither of my employers withheld to much social security tax, but they together withheld too much. I checked TurboTax (EasyStep as well as Forms) and confirmed all W2 had the right SSN/Name. W2s are shown under our names properly under EasyStep. In Forms, my wife's W2s have the box "Spouse's W2" checked. Numbers under "Forms W2 & W-2G Summary" also look right. I guess either TurboTax didn't transmit data properly or IRS has problem dealing with my case. No way I can be sure though.
Check your W-2 entry screens. Even if you had the right name and SSN on each W-2, if you attribute them to the wrong spouse, TurboTax will calculate the excess Social Security withholding credit incorrectly. In the W-2 entry screens, you are asked whose W-2 is being entered. Choosing the wrong person in this screen can cause the credit to appear when it's not allowable, even though you entered the correct SSN. See screenshot below:
>>Check your W-2 entry screens.
Yes, I checked that one for all W2s as well, all look right. That's why I guess it's an issue during efile.
In order for us to troubleshoot this issue, you can send us a “diagnostic” file that has your “numbers” but not your personal information. If you would like to do this, here are the instructions for TurboTax Desktop users:
Thanks @MonikaK1 I didn't know this option previously. I just senda “diagnostic” file and my token number is:
3 9 2 5 1 6 0 4 7-48807379. Please let me know what else I may provide.
You can take a screenshot of the number or type it out with extra spaces added.
Thank you for the token; someone will reach out here soon. You mentioned that one of your W-2s has a zero in box 1. If so, that will prevent e-file. While we review the token file, can you try entering $1 in Box 1 of the W-2(s) with a zero in box 1, and try to e-file again. Thanks!
@DawnC I tried to avoid entering what's not in my W2s if possible, as I am afraid that may cause other issue or potential IRS alert. Also, error s3-f1040-144 does not seem to be related to zero for box 1 on W2.
The error is because TurboTax is only recognizing one of your W-2s. It is not counting the W-2 from the IHHS because of the zero in box 1, so, you get the error/reject message that says your situation requires two W-2s. I can see that you have two W-2s but TurboTax doesn't count the w-2 with zero in box 1. TurboTax calculated and applied the credit on Line 11 of Schedule 3, so that leads me to believe the number of recognized w-2s is causing the reject.
You can try the $1, or you can opt to file federal and state by mail (last resort), or wait and watch this post, or file an extension, so you do have some options. There were updates today, so make sure your software is fully updated.
Thanks @DawnC Your reply is very helpful for me to understand what's going on. Is there any way I can check if TurboTax does/doesn't count the w-2 with zero in box 1 without taking an efile attempt? I don't think I can check if any TurboTax update contains change/fix relevant to my issue here, right? I will wait a bit and watch this post over the weekend.
You wouldn't know unless you attempt the e-file. Adding $1 to your box 1 would ensure that the W-2 gets submitted with the return when you e-file and it doesn't change the bottom line of the return. That may be the best option for you.
Looking back at my tax return last year, I actually put the same number from IHSS W2's box 3 to box 1, selected "uncommon situations"->"Nontaxable Medicaid payments that qualify as difficulty of care payments", and claimed full amount of box 1 value. I was able to efile last year, so that looks like another workaround in addition to adding $1 to box 1. Though, on last year (2023)'s IHSS W2, there was no box 12. On this year (2024), there was box 12 (code II with full amount of box 3 there). I am not sure if that matters from IRS's perspective though.
I have the same issue. I too have ihss related W2 with $0 in Box and getting the same error
'ExcessSocSecAndTier1RRTATaxAmt' has a non-zero value, then at least two Form W-2s with the same 'EmployeeSSN' must be present in the return
Why is TurboTax passing the Review and then getting this rejected when e-filing?
What does Turbo Tax need to do to fix this?
The issue is occurring because there is a $0 in box 1. It's not being recognized as a separate W-2. Previously TurboTax would block any $0 Box 1 W-2 from being e-filed, and the return had to be mailed in. The steps provided by DawnC or henrysf are the best workarounds. You can enter $1 in box 1 or the amount in box 3. Both should clear the e-file rejection.
For the workaround to use box 3 value in box 1 with "Nontaxable medicaid payments", there may be a round up issue. For example, if box 3 value is 1000.88, TT would somehow round it to 1001 somewhere, and Smart check would report an error say that the number can not be larger than 1000.88. I could round it down to 1000 to get around that, but it's still no ideal. No, even if I put 1000.88 during Smart Check fixup, it would still be rounded to 1001 and the error would come up again.
I really hope TT can handle zero box 1 value with excess social security tax withheld so I don't have to use any workaround every year.
Yes I too faced the same round up issue. I had to manually change the value - so they are different in the W2 box (which has the cents) and then in the 1040. Which is not correct. And now there is no value in Box 12 a in the ihss W2 which is also not correct.
Turbo Tax needs to fix this! And not have us do these work arounds because of the buggy software!
Error S3-F1040-144 is specifically referring to the credit for Excess Social Security withholding.
In order to receive a refundable credit for excess social security withholding, you have to have reported at least two Forms W-2. If you had excess withholding from just one employer, you need to ask the employer to refund the excess withholding. If the employer doesn't adjust the overcollection, you can use Form 843, Claim for Refund and Request for Abatement to claim a refund. Attach copies of your Forms W-2, Wage and Tax Statement for the year to Form 843.
See IRS Tax Topic 608 for more information.
If you have this error on your return, revisit the W-2 section in TurboTax. If you are filing a joint return, check to see if you have identified each W-2 correctly as belonging to "self" or "spouse". If a W-2 is mislabeled as belonging to the wrong spouse, TurboTax will see the Social Security withholding as belonging to one person instead of two, even if the correct Social Security numbers are on each W-2. Mislabeling the owner of a W-2 is a common source of this error.
Please also see this TurboTax help article for more information and steps to correct.
If one of your W-2s is for IHSS Medicaid Waiver payments, and you have a zero in Box 1, see this help article for more information.
If the only entry on your W-2 is in Box 12 (there's a blank or a $0 in Box 1), and you want to use the income to qualify for Earned Income Credit or Additional Child Tax Credit, you can enter the W-2 as is.
If the only entry on your W-2 is in Box 12 (there's a blank or a $0 in Box 1) and you don’t want to use the income to qualify for Earned Income Credit or Additional Child Tax Credit, you don’t need to enter the W-2 at all.
We tested the situation with Box 1 being zero earlier in the season when the IHSS help article was being updated. The Box 12 code and related TurboTax steps are new this year. At that time, the steps in the article were working. Please advise if you follow the steps in the article and get a different result.
Thank you.
[Edited 04/01/25| 2:59pm PST]
I am filing single as head of household with one employer W2 and one ihss W2. I need to enter the ihss W2 even though I don't need the EIC because I want the excess SS taxes to be credited.
Box 1 is 0 and Box 12 a has a value. In the 1040 Turbo Tax correctly deducts the ihss W2 value and allows to e-file (there was an error earlier in Jan and that appears to be fixed now). The excess Social Security from the ihss W2 is also correctly credited and passes review. But then the e-filing is later rejected by the IRS because the W2 is 0 with the F-1040-144 error.
If I do the earlier work around and enter a value in Box 1 but leave Box 12 a blank, and then check off medicaid waiver in uncommon situations on the next page, then the 1040 passes review. I have not yet e-filed because I believe that leaving the Box 12 a blank in Turbo Tax is incorrect as the W2 does have a value in it. This is what Turbo Tax needs to fix in the product @MonikaK1
Thank you; I had just replied in your other thread.
If one of your W-2s is for IHSS Medicaid Waiver payments, and you have a zero in Box 1, see this help article for more information.
Normally:
If the only entry on your W-2 is in Box 12 (there's a blank or a $0 in Box 1), and you want to use the income to qualify for Earned Income Credit or Additional Child Tax Credit, you can enter the W-2 as is.
If the only entry on your W-2 is in Box 12 (there's a blank or a $0 in Box 1) and you don’t want to use the income to qualify for Earned Income Credit or Additional Child Tax Credit, you don’t need to enter the W-2 at all.
However, you have an unusual situation in that you appear to be entitled to a credit for excess Social Security withholding between your IHSS W-2 and the W-2 form your other employer, so you will want to enter the Social Security withholding for both.
We tested the situation with Box 1 being zero earlier in the season when the IHSS help article was being updated. The Box 12 code and related TurboTax steps are new this year. At that time, the steps in the article were working. In the previous version of the help article, we advised entering the Box 3 amount again in Box 1, but this no longer worked when the Box 12 code was added this year.
Try entering $1 in Box 1 of the IHSS W-2 instead of zero. Check your return to confirm that the IHSS income is excluded only one time.