Amendment Hell

[smarcaurele]

So I just tried to amend my 2023 return in order to carry back a Foreign Tax credit from 2024 that I was unable to use in 2024.

I have the 2023 desktop product.  When I create the amendment, it looks like this right out of the gate. 

Turbo Tax asks Why did the refund monitor just change to $0?

My question is Why did the refund monitor NOT just change to 0?

If I continue with the amended return and change nothing, my adjusted gross income has been reduced by $1,115.  Really?  Why?  How?

I call support and am basically told that we don't know why your AGI was adjusted, but it must be right.  You just need to have faith in the software.

Seriously Turbo Tax... that's the best you can do?
If anyone has any ideas about how I can reach someone knowledgeable about the product they are supporting please let me know.

[MarilynG1]

When you opened your 2023 TurboTax on your computer, did it update?  If so, It could be that an update changed the refund meter immediately.  Since we can't see your return in this forum, in FORMS you could compare your originally filed Form 1040 with what is showing on the 1040X as you proceed. 

You're correct that the Refund Monitor should change to $0, but it doesn't always. I just tested this, and mine did.  There were a couple questions before the page you're showing; maybe go back to them?

Make sure you enter your original Refund/Tax Due amount when asked.

Here's more info on How to Amend a Tax Return.

@smarcaurele 

[smarcaurele]

For what it's worth, I figured out how to "fix" my amended return.  In form view, I looked at the 1040-X form, and noticed that line 1 column C (supposedly my corrected AGI) was exactly the AGI on my 2023 return.  Line 1 column A (which was supposed to be my original AGI) was wrong.  It was $1,115 more than it was on my 2023 1040.  Fortunately, the software let me change the Line 1, column A value to the correct AGI, and then I was on my way to things making sense.  I also had to correct Line 6 column A (my original tax), line 11 column A (my original total tax), and box A between lines 17 and 18 (my original overpayment).

After doing all that, the Federal Refund was zeroed out, and I was able to modify my FTC to include the carry back from this year and all was well.

I can't even begin to explain why the software decided to modify the AGI from my original return, but I hope this maybe helps someone else out there who tries to create an amended 2023 return and experiences the same dumpster fire that I did.

And shame on Turbo Tax support that assured me that Turbo Tax is like a master CPA, and that I should blindly trust whatever it does.  I could have saved so much time if I had given up early on that call instead of trying to convince the support person that there was clearly a problem with the software.

[smarcaurele]

Yes, when I opened Turbo Tax 2023 it did update since I had not opened it since last year.

There were very few steps before arriving on the screen that I posted.  When I open the software I see this:

When I click on the Amend a Filed Return button I get this screen:

When I click the Amend button I get this.  This screen is showing the correct Federal refund and CT payment from my 2023 return:

When I click Continue I see this next screen.

And after clicking Continue I get the screen that I posted in my first message.