FORM: California Form 592-B
AREA: Part I Withholding Agent
ISSUE: The SSN/ITIN (XXX-XX-XXXX) space only accepts numbers in the format of XXX-XX-XXXX. However, it should also accept the FEIN format of (XX-XXXXXX) as indicated on the form when the FEIN box is checked. To be clear, TT will accept the FEIN format and the return even clears the initial error check process. The error message stating the number MUST be in XXX-XX-XXXX format does not occur until trying to transmit the return to CA. This MAY indicate the issue is on the CA acceptance side rather than the TT side. Anyway, this is the second tax year for this problem, causing me to have to file by mail rather than e-file.
I hope TT engineers talk with CA engineers to figure out what the issue is by next tax year.
SOLVED: OK, a friend figured this out for me, and the solution is kind of embarrassing! If you open the 592B (592-B) in FORMS, you will see the check box for FEIN and below that there are two more check boxes. The last check box listed: SOS File number has a line under it and contrary to my belief that this line is only for the SOS number, it is not. It is for ANY of the numbers from the three checkboxes. So, Ensure the ITIN line is blank, check the FEIN number box, and type in the FEIN number in the line under SOS File No.