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Level 3
posted Jan 31, 2023 5:28:24 PM

E-File Amended 2021 Return

I need to amend my 2021 return as I filed in 2022 before TurboTax had been updated with form 8915 and did not realize that the covid retirement distribution I took in 2020 did not pull into my return so I could pay tax on 1/3 of the distribution. I entered all the information and got to the point where I get a message: Federal return ready to e-file and state return ready to print and mail, however, Turbotax won't actually let me e-file. I cannot enter today's date to make the payment as it does not like the date and seems confused that I owe money since my amended return is also a refund, just a few hundred dollars less.  Does anyone know if Turbotax should be allowing this or if I need to print and mail my federal amended return?

Thank You!

0 23 2984
3 Best answers
Expert Alumni
Feb 1, 2023 5:28:23 AM

Please be aware, that you cannot e-file for years prior to 2022, you'll need to print and mail your amended return. Please see How do I amend my federal tax return for a prior year? and Can I e-file my 1040X to amend my return for additional information.

 

To verify, when you started your amended return the refund counter stated $0, correct? If the amended return states you are getting a refund after making changes, it seems it calculated a refund and you might want to check your entries.

 

  1. Login to your TurboTax Account 
  2. Click on "Search" on the top right and type “1099-R” 
  3. Click on “Jump to 1099-R”
  4. Click "Continue" on the “Review your 1099-R info” screen
  5. Answer "Yes" to the "Have you ever taken a disaster distribution before 2021?" screen
  6. Answer "Yes" on the "Did either of you take a disaster distribution at any time between 2018 and 2020?" screen 

Please sure you enter the amount from Form 8915-E, line 9 twice (if it was not from an IRA) or enter the amount from Form 8915-E, line 17 twice (if it was from an IRA). This amount should be 1/3 of your 2020 COVID distribution.

 

If you have a balance due then you can also pay on the IRS Payment site.

 

 

Level 15
Feb 2, 2023 10:06:11 AM

@SandyOH 

yes you want an extra $2,000 on line one. this comes from 1040 Line 4b or 5b depending on the type of account.

 

also note IRS wants the 8915-F worksheets attached to Form 8915-F.

I recently noticed this requirement in the Instructions.

 

 you have to file a 2021 amendment by US Mail.

Do not include your old 1040 nor your revised 1040 because the Form 1040-X reflects any changes there and becomes your new tax return.

Level 15
Feb 5, 2023 4:36:46 AM

"Does that seem correct?"

 

No.

For 2021, the 8915-F Part I  is completely EMPTY.

In Part II check the NO box on line 8 and skip to Line 12.

 

Penalties:
Subtract any penalty from the amount you owe reported on original 1040.
Don't try to include, but ignore, any new or changed penalty.
IRS will calculate your new penalty on their own and will bill you.

@SandyOH 

23 Replies
Expert Alumni
Feb 1, 2023 5:28:23 AM

Please be aware, that you cannot e-file for years prior to 2022, you'll need to print and mail your amended return. Please see How do I amend my federal tax return for a prior year? and Can I e-file my 1040X to amend my return for additional information.

 

To verify, when you started your amended return the refund counter stated $0, correct? If the amended return states you are getting a refund after making changes, it seems it calculated a refund and you might want to check your entries.

 

  1. Login to your TurboTax Account 
  2. Click on "Search" on the top right and type “1099-R” 
  3. Click on “Jump to 1099-R”
  4. Click "Continue" on the “Review your 1099-R info” screen
  5. Answer "Yes" to the "Have you ever taken a disaster distribution before 2021?" screen
  6. Answer "Yes" on the "Did either of you take a disaster distribution at any time between 2018 and 2020?" screen 

Please sure you enter the amount from Form 8915-E, line 9 twice (if it was not from an IRA) or enter the amount from Form 8915-E, line 17 twice (if it was from an IRA). This amount should be 1/3 of your 2020 COVID distribution.

 

If you have a balance due then you can also pay on the IRS Payment site.

 

 

Level 3
Feb 1, 2023 4:45:48 PM

Thank you for the information. Yes, my refund starts at zero when I begin and when I finish my refund is a few hundred dollars less than my original return so it rightly shows as a balance due. It seems like I have to mail the payment as the spot in TurboTax that does not reflect that I owe money is on the screen to set up direct debit date. This must be a glitch since the advice given is that I cannot e-file the amendment even though TurboTax initially gives me that option.

 I am not sure about the instruction to enter the amount from form 8915 line 9 twice.  Shouldn't I enter the amount as is which represents 1/3 of the distribution?  I had a $6k withdrawal, I claimed $2k in 2020, should have claimed $2k in 2021 and will claim $2k in 2022.

Thanks!

 

Expert Alumni
Feb 2, 2023 9:53:37 AM

You'll enter it twice in order to have the system register the correct amount of repayment due in 2021.  

 

@SandyOH 

Level 15
Feb 2, 2023 10:06:11 AM

@SandyOH 

yes you want an extra $2,000 on line one. this comes from 1040 Line 4b or 5b depending on the type of account.

 

also note IRS wants the 8915-F worksheets attached to Form 8915-F.

I recently noticed this requirement in the Instructions.

 

 you have to file a 2021 amendment by US Mail.

Do not include your old 1040 nor your revised 1040 because the Form 1040-X reflects any changes there and becomes your new tax return.

Level 3
Feb 2, 2023 11:59:05 AM

Ah! thank you. My eyes just were not catching that I was being instructed to enter Form 8915E line 9 amount in two different spots. So I have entered $2,000 in both the first line in the Qualified Disaster (Other than IRAs) and the third line and left the line 10 spot blank.  Does that seem correct?

Level 3
Feb 4, 2023 7:24:24 AM

Thank you. This is very helpful. I have completed the returns and am ready to mail. Is there a way for me to calculate whatever federal and state penalty I will be accessed and pay with my amended return rather than wait to receive a separate bill from fed/state?

Level 15
Feb 5, 2023 4:36:46 AM

"Does that seem correct?"

 

No.

For 2021, the 8915-F Part I  is completely EMPTY.

In Part II check the NO box on line 8 and skip to Line 12.

 

Penalties:
Subtract any penalty from the amount you owe reported on original 1040.
Don't try to include, but ignore, any new or changed penalty.
IRS will calculate your new penalty on their own and will bill you.

@SandyOH 

Level 3
Feb 5, 2023 7:29:13 AM

Yes, that is exactly how I completed form 8915-F. 
I will let the IRS bill separately for any penalty. 


Thanks so much!

Level 15
Feb 5, 2023 7:48:29 AM

once received, your 1040-X should show up under "Where's my Amended Return" after three weeks.

New Member
Mar 11, 2023 5:22:00 PM

Under   Can I e-file my 1040X to amend my return the first sentence reads 

"Your 2022, 2021, or 2020 federal Form 1040-X amended return may be eligible for electronic filing if the original return was successfully e-filed using TurboTax." Since I have the same issue with not being able to enter today's date for my signature, it appears that either TurboTax 2021 has a bug or the person who wrote the article on e-filing an amended return is wrong.

Level 3
Mar 17, 2023 12:13:34 AM

I am getting the same error when I try to e-file my amended 2021 taxes... 

 

Ran into the same signature date problem as @dmcmtax reported... Ended up using the date that I e-Filed the original 2021 taxes - and maybe as the OP says, that is the problem that caused a validation error.  In my error statement it says had problems with validation, and also TurboTax reports:

 

- E - File for this agency and filing type is no longer available.  Please file any pending returns on paper.

 

SO, to echo @dmcmtax  - is the problem the signature date?  Or is the problem that it is too late to e-File 2021 amended taxes?  Inquiring minds want to know... Am hoping there is a fix/workaround to get the taxes e-File'd... will save time, and $$s...

 

 

Level 3
Mar 17, 2023 3:51:07 AM

I printed and mailed my amended returns. I accepted the answers that my question received. I could never successfully get past the date issue no matter if I used today's date or the original file date so I believe it is too late to e-file. 

Level 3
Mar 17, 2023 9:07:34 AM

yeah, I will probably have to print and mail in the amended return as well... but the info from Turbo Tax is misleading - it sounds like in 2021?  they started allowing the amended returns to be e-File'd... and Turbo Tax lets you almost e-File the return and errors out at the stage right before it is transmitted... almost like it leads us on, and then slams that door shut... I am hoping that the date of the signature is the problem, and that it can be fixed... we'll find out soon enough, I guess (I hope)... 

Level 3
Mar 17, 2023 10:26:54 AM

I had the same issue. It appeared as if I could e-file but could not. TurboTax should definitely remove the checkbox to e-file your amendment if the date has passed and that option is no longer available. 

Level 3
Mar 18, 2023 12:43:36 AM

found this interesting thread on another Intuit Community forum, for Accountants... there is a solution to the problem of not being able to file a amended 2021 taxes -  in the software that they (professional tax preparers) use - a way to switch off the verification during the eFile... NOW, if only we could get the same feature in Turbo Tax (Premier - what I use), but I am guessing the reason Intuit might not want to do this would be that it might let through taxes with errors that should be fixed by the user prior to filing...  BUT STILL - it is a solution that would be OH SO USEFUL for our situation, where the tax file already passed the validation during the review/check for errors...  that could be a way that they implement it - the switch on Validation checking during eFile can be turned off, ONLY if the taxes have passed the review/check for errors... 

 

https://proconnect.intuit.com/community/proseries-tax-discussions/discussion/re-error-primary-signature-date/01/254546#M136731

Level 3
Mar 21, 2023 11:52:48 PM

I decided to byte the bullet and snail-mail a hardcopy version of my taxes (seems so archaic versus E-Filing... I am so spoiled by E-Filing)... cost me a hefty amount of postage (via DHL, from overseas, and it was about 50 pages (what a waste of paper)), but figured I'd rather get it DONE and stop having it on my mind; and furtherMORE since it involves a nice sized refund - the sooner it gets to IRS, the sooner I will receive the refund for the Amended 2021 taxes... and at least with DHL, I can track the parcel, and after getting to IRS, I will be able to track it on the IRS web site => where's my (freakN) refund?

Level 3
Apr 12, 2023 6:29:13 AM

It sure would be nice if TurboTax fixed this issue.  They clearly state (in multiple places) that if you e-filed the original return, you can e-file the amended, with TurboTax.   The date bug needs to be fixed!!

 

Can I e-file a Form 1040-X?

Yes, the IRS began accepting e-filed amended returns for 2019 and later tax years. However, for an amended return to be electronically filed, your originally filed tax return has to have been electronically filed as well.


.....
Can I e-file my federal Form 1040-X amended return?

Your 2022, 2021, or 2020 federal Form 1040-X amended return may be eligible for electronic filing if the original return was successfully e-filed using TurboTax.

Level 3
Apr 12, 2023 6:46:57 AM

I went thru the process of trying to e-file the amended return, which TT says I should be able to do in the final review step of the software, and I too got the date error and then that the e-file window is closed for a 2021 amended return.  Ugh, wish TurboTax would finally fix this date issue since the software clearly states e-file of amended is an option!!

 

I then went back to the file process and chose file by mail and TT is saying "The following returns have been transmitted.  Don't file returns by mail that have already been transmitted electronically".  

 

So.... did the amended return actually get e-filed??   Guess I have to wait and just check the IRS Where's my amended return? website page to see if TurboTax sent it??

Level 15
Apr 12, 2023 7:13:29 AM

There are some indications on the forum that TurboTax just recently turned on e-File of 2021 amended tax return.

Level 3
Apr 13, 2023 1:47:27 AM

guess I should have waited, as I ended up mailing mine in, received by IRS on March 22 (tracked via DHL, mailed from another country), and when I check the Where Is Mah Mighty Fine Refund web page on the IRS site, it can't find my return, and tells me that if sent via paper (not e-file), it could take upwards of 6 weeks to process (or maybe that web page doesn't work for amended returns?)...

Level 3
Apr 13, 2023 5:17:54 AM
Level 3
Apr 13, 2023 5:26:47 AM

thanks... tried it, and no info, but they said it takes awhile, probably longer than it has been since they received it...

Level 3
Apr 15, 2023 3:36:19 AM

OK, think I know why it didn't work when I tried the link that you, @kaydee provided... I did a google search on where is my amended return (something like that) and I got directed to this page:

 

     https://www.irs.gov/filing/wheres-my-amended-return

 

When I go to the same web page in your post via this initial page, and enter the same info as I did when I tried your link (@kaydee), this time I get info that the IRS INDEED receive my amended return (and it says that it can take up to 16 weeks to process it)... hopefully they will accept my amended return changes, and provide the refund I figured via Turbo Tax, that I deserved...