Feedback: estimated taxes - Home and Business software

[rlwremo]

Hi,

I just realized that Turbo Tax "assumes" that the calculated estimated tax payments have been made in full.

For 2019,  due to an error, only made 3 of the 4 quarterly payments (long story), but was surprised that Turbo Tax automatically fills that value in (found it in the generated pdf file).  

But when preparing the 2019 tax returns, at no point did Turbo Tax (Home and Business) present a screen on estimated payments (e.g.  "Here were your estimated payments for tax year 2019.  Please confirm the amount paid in estimated taxes").

Not a huge deal. Got an adjusted return letter from IRS requiring the amount of the 4th quarterly payment (plus penalty and interest).

But I think TT could make this part of its accuracy check and actually prompt the user to confirm the amount of estimated taxes paid, rather than just assuming the amount from the previous year's return.

Respectfully submitted.

Remo.

[Critter-3]

When information is transferred in from the prior year the program requests that you review that transferred information ... you should have been prompted to review the estimated payments section.   

Also if you knew you made only 3 estimated payments then you should have been checking that section to enter the payments you did make ... at that point you would have noticed that the 4th payment was listed as paid  and you had the option to make the correction at that point.   If you kept the stubs from the 1040-ES forms you should have been expecting to make an entry in the interview ... the fact you did not see it should prompt you to go looking for it. 

Before filing you must review the entire return ... estimated payments made are no different than entering in other income items ... the program cannot determine if there is a data entry error by itself.  Remember when you use a DIY program you have all the responsibility to complete the return correctly.  The program can only do so much for you automatically.

In the Downloaded version you have the option to switch to the FORMS mode at will to review any part of the return at any time.