Reject reason: F2441-022 - If filing status of the return is Married filing separately and Form 2441 is present in the return, then 'EligibilityRequirementMetInd'

[drumdude96]

Box C contains the amount in EXCESS of what you elected in your dependent care FSA, not the $2,500 or whatever was pre-taxed.  In my case, the total that I spent on daycare last year was $4,045.  The amount of that in excess of the $2,500 is $1,545, which is what turbotax put in box C.  However, since I don't qualify for the dependent care tax credit, that amount is irrelevant and should not have been entered on the form 2441.  There should be an amount in that box ONLY if you qualify for the credit, in which case the box at the top of the form would be checked and none of us would have had this issue in the first place.  This is a turbotax error, not an IRS error.  The amount in box C triggered the box at the top of the form needing to be checked and thus the rejection of the return.  I'm guessing that is the case for a lot of you.  If you haven't had your returns rejected 6 times, I urge you to try filing with H & R Block.  It certainly can't hurt, and it will probably be free for many of you.  The only reason I had to pay for turbotax was because I needed to file a form to get the retirement savings tax credit.  That form is free with Block.

[JG2018]

@drumdude96 here is a link to the instructions for Form 2441: <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/i2441.pdf">https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/i2441.pdf</a>

You report your total qualifying expenses. It is further within the form where the determination of whether those expenses exceed your pretax DCAP would allow you, if you otherwise qualify, to claim a credit, where the numbers are figured out. You still have to report what you spent on a qualifying dependent to justify the use of the DCAP funds.

[drumdude96]

Part 1 of form 2441 is where you report how much you spent in total on dependent care.  That amount is also used in part 3, but there should never be an amount in box C of part 2 unless you qualify for the credit.  The only parts of the form that should be filled out are 1 and 3 if you don't qualify, end of story, other than your dependent's name and SSN in box A and B in part 2.  The directions for form 2441 tell you not to fill out part 2 unless you qualify for the credit.  Putting an amount in box C of part 2 is an error, plain and simple.  

[drumdude96]

I'm not going to sit here and try to argue with anybody.  It's clear to me where TT screwed up my return, and I'm just glad I had the sense to use H & R Block before I finally gave in and mailed my return.  I'll be enjoying my tax refund in a couple of weeks, instead of waiting until June or July at the earliest if I had mailed.  Seems like a no-brainer to me.  It's a free-ish country.  Everybody can do whatever they choose to do regarding this matter.

[ng-jonathan]

From the IRS status page:

Returns are rejecting because of an erroneous element name included in the rule text for F2441-022.  Per Change Page issued on 01/31/2019, Business Rule F2441-022 was is inaccurately stated.

Update:  (3/21/2019) The updated business rule scheduled to be deployed in ATS and MeF Production on March 17, 2019 has been delayed.  The change page was released via the Secure Object Repository on February 13, 2019. The updated business rule will be deployed in ATS and MeF Production as soon as possible.

[chris-helming]

Just filed with H & R Block too (and it was accepted) and can confirm that the _only_ difference between the TurboTax and H & R is that Part 2(c) has "0" entered for "Qualified expenses" rather than the amount in excess of $2,500.

Even after reading the instructions I'm not sure whether TT or HR is correct in entering info in that box.

At the end of part 1 it says: "Did you receive dependent care benefits?" No: Complete only Part II below; Yes: Complete Part III on the back next.

In my case, I did receive dependent care benefits ("Pre-tax contributions you made under a dependent care flexible spending arrangement") so Turbo Tax should skip Part II and go immediately to Part III, right? In which case, nothing should be entered in Part II 2(c) (which is where HR has $0 entered)

[Tax-a-chusetts]

@Chris.helming same return?

[chris-helming]

@Tax-a-chusetts same exact return (with the exception of the value on line 2(c) on 2442), same exact refunds.

[anon-js]

The only difference is declarable taxable income, which may result in a letter from the IRS saying you owe more taxes or to refile 2441.

[chris-helming]

@anon.js my taxable income was the same for both. Line 25 for both had $2500. The ONLY difference on my entire return was the value in 2(c)

[stadrous]

Have people been able to request a refund from Turbo Tax?

[jcarpenter]

I changed my information in such a way to have TT enter $0 on line 2 (c), which did not change my taxes at all since the excess money does not give me any additional tax credit.  However, I still got a rejection notification less than 30 minutes later due to the value in line 25.  Frustrating.

[jobiju]

Why isn't Turbo tax responding ? If it was a known issue Turbo Tax should have warned the customer of  the issue before accepting payment to e-file; so that the customer has a choice to look for an alternative.

[gjhickey1]

I filed tonight with HR block. It went through fine and was accepted by the IRS. Same exact refund amount. TT seems to be filing out part 2 of the form with bad data, when it doesn't need to be completed anyway, for me anyway.

[wmattox4814]

Ditto on H&R Block for me too.  Same numbers.  Oh, and it was free.  Free free free.  Free free.