How would I report a potential bug in TT Online?

[Richard67]

see subject line.   I think TT has an issue with how it is handling reporting of advance child tax credit payments

[DawnC]

Please provide us with the some details about your TurboTax experience here so someone can help.   Thanks!  

Most eligible families received about one-half of their tax credit through advance payments, and will claim the remaining half of their credit when they file this year's return.

Be sure to confirm any amount you may have received by referring to your (and/or your spouse’s) IRS letter 6419.   You can also go to the IRS to verify any amount you may have received.

Once you have your amount ready, follow these steps to enter your advance payments. If you didn’t receive any, answer No on the Tell us about any advance Child Tax Credit payments screen when you go through the Child Tax Credit section.

WARNING - If you do not enter the correct amount from your 6419 letters, please be advised that your tax return processing will be delayed.   The IRS will automatically pull those mismatched returns out for manual processing.   Do not e-file or mail your tax return until you are sure you have reported the correct amounts your (and spouse if applicable) of advance child tax credit payments.

For more information regarding eligibility for advance Child Tax Credit payments, and the Child Tax Credit generally, see ​​​​​​Topic B: Eligibility for Advance Child Tax Credit Payments and the 2021 Child Tax Credit.

For information on how the amount of your Child Tax Credit could be reduced based on the amount of your income, see Topic C: Calculation of the 2021 Child Tax Credit.

[Richard67]

I don't think TT isn't handling the reporting of advance child tax payments correctly, as follows: 

Line 19 of 1040 is populated using schedule 8812.   IRS guidance for populating line 14f of that 8812 is as follows with one of their illustrative examples using, verbatim, one their instructions. ..

" Example 5. In 2020, John and Susan filed as married filing jointly with 4 qualifying children. In 2021, John and Susan received advance child tax credit payments of $6,000 based on 4 qualifying children. Both John and Susan receive Letter 6419. John's letter reports advance child tax credit payments of $3,000 in box 1 and 4 qualifying children in box 2. Susan's letter reports advance child tax credit payments of $3,000 in box 1 and 4 qualifying children in box 2. John and Susan file as married filing jointly on their 2021 tax return. John and Susan will add the amounts from box 1 of their Letters 6419 and enter $6,000 ($3,000 + $3,000) on line 14f.

TT does NOT follow this example.  It rounds up (and presumably down too) each spouses portion, if that portion includes cents, and then it combines those already rounded amounts to populate line 14f.   I believe rounding is only acceptable on any total amount detailed on a return/form and not in prior calculations that define any amount that should be input on the form.  Under TT , if each spouse's portion ends with 0.50c then TT will round each portion up to the next dollar.   That means once those two portions are combined the total amount detailed in line 14f will be off by $1.  That doesn't sound correct to me based on the IRS example.

Also guidance on Tax Act suggests the same "If you have to add two or more amounts to figure the amount to enter on a line, include cents when adding the amounts and round off only the total" - see link below.

https://www.taxact.com/support/[removed]/forms-w-2-or-1099-rounding-off-to-whole-dollars#:~:text=You....

[AmyC]

The actual tax form going to the IRS is one line - of the totals added. Therefore, the total of the amounts reported should be correct. Therefore, if each got 50 cents, round one up and the other down to get the correct total.

[Richard67]

Amy, what you say makes perfect sense, but then TT would need to amend the language on the page where these values are detailed:  

"You and [your spouse] should each have your own IRS Letter 6419. Enter the amount from box 1 of each letter, even if it's the same amount."

It makes more sense to me for TT to fix the premature rounding, rather then telling people not to exactly enter the amounts detailed on their formal IRS letters.  Indeed until I receive the letters today, I put the entire amount under my name only (no rounding issues).  It's only once I received the letters and then read TT's input page more carefully that this arose.

[Richard67]

Indeed your colleague included the following warning:

WARNING - If you do not enter the correct amount from your 6419 letters, please be advised that your tax return processing will be delayed.   The IRS will automatically pull those mismatched returns out for manual processing.   Do not e-file or mail your tax return until you are sure you have reported the correct amounts your (and spouse if applicable) of advance child tax credit payments.

I am not going to let this go because of the warnings TT themselves are making.  

How can I know this is being looked into/acted upon?

[AmyC]

Yes, it has been reported as a concern since the wording feels awkward. The program is trying to keep people from putting the full amount on both lines as that was happening before. While not a perfect solution yet, better than the full amount twice!

[Richard67]

Good to hear.  Thank you Amy.