Error - Form W-4 - S: Total Allowances must be entered

[jbemrick]

TurboTax 2019

I am getting 2 errors when trying to transmit my tax forms - same basic error but one with an S (Spouse) and the other with a T (taxpayer).

Form W-4 - T: Total Allowances must be entered

Form W-4 - S: Total Allowances must be entered

First off, it appears that allowances are not even in the W-4 for 2020 - which is what we are filling in for 2019 TurboTax.   I have visited the forms view (says "no errors" on the form itself but is tagged at the index on the left side).  I have walked through the easy step process multiple times and still the same error.  I cannot figure out a way to "delete" the W-4 either as it is not necessary.  I tried to go back into Other tax situations->Form W-4 and estimated taxes and say "No" I did not want to update - but the forms and error remain.

[jbemrick]

Fixed the issue (though it is still a bug).  Deleted the W-4 Forms (via Forms->Remove W-4 - twice for the two forms).  But this by itself does not fix the problem (the W-4s will come back).  You also need to remove the W4-Info/Worksheet form and w4 ES worksheet.  Basically visit any form for each error that has a W4 on it and remove it.

[roachmill]

Thank you, jbemrick.  I ran into the same problem and your solution helped immensely.

[Maria1979]

Thank You! This bug had me stuck, your solution worked!

[Pat S 12345]

Happened to me too. I tried deleting the form twice and erasing the form twice.  I was blocked from electronic filing  until W 4 was gone  I was finally successful on the 5th attempt trying different things. . The error message says you have to enter allowances but it highlights entering an apartment number for the address.I did not see a place to enter an alloawance.  SInce this was already reported why was it not fixed?  

[Dred415]

Thanks @jbemrick for the tip.

I had to go into Forms and perform a manual override and uncheck the box that indicated that W4 was necessary for the return.  By manually overriding that checkbox, the W4 forms disappeared.

More than annoying...

[ThetaTauMan]

An even easier solution: I went into the forms and changed the "ES & W4 Wks.” first set of check boxes to indicate “by making estimated tax payments.”  This then seemed to eliminate all traces of the W4 forms that were generating the error.

Presumably, it will print out estimated payment vouchers, but one can still change your withholding at work instead. The frustrating thing is that properly calculating things like this are why we are PAYING for TurboTax, and when there are obvious errors, it makes one question the rest of the software.  

Tried using the IRS W4 calculator, the witholding result was almost an order of magnitude smaller. Now I don’t know who to believe.

If anyone at TT is reading this: the whole W4 easystep process needs review: entry boxes that don’t work right, results that always report that the taxible income for next year is zero, the subject errors in review… all very bad.

[MMAAKK17]

Can you be more clear on removing Forms?  I pull up forms but don't see the option to remove or delete the form.  Thank you

[MMAAKK17]

Never mind.  Discovered the remova; process and all is well.  Thank you

[Svanrooy2020]

Yes I had same problem...took me a while to figure out how to delete forms.  Definitely need to go to Forms, then remove all forms with the error symbol including the worksheet.  I'll have to go to employer so they take out more than the max withholding!  incredible!

[adet]

I will try this. I spent over 2 hours on the phone with a representative and they could not fix this problem.

[Anonymous]

same here, fixed by removinf the form. Thanks for the tip