Is 2019 Form 8911 (Alternative Fuel Vehicle Refueling Property Credit) working?

[malexjones]

Hello,

I've been waiting for Turbotax Deluxe 2019 to updated for Form 8911 so I can record the costs of my EV charging station installed in January 2019.  As per the TT tax form availablity schedule, form 8911 was updated on 2/20/2020 in my Turbotax.  When I entered the cost of my personal EV charging station the resulting tax credit was $0.  No reason was provided except that it resulted in a $0 credit and the tax form will not be included.   

Anyone have luck with this form in TT 2019?

[MayaD]

The Alternative Fuel Vehicle Refueling Property Credit is a nonrefundable credit. 

Nonrefundable credit reduces your Tax liability (Tax due ) to 0 but it won't create or increase your refund. If you have no tax liability for the credit to be applied against, then TurboTax would show your personal portion is 0.

[lpuff]

I am running into the same problem - specifically, Alternative Vehicle Refueling Property credit  $0.

I understand that it will not increase my refund - however, I am not receiving a refund. So, why am I unable to claim this credit in TurboTax?

[akirsch]

I am having the issue as well.  I manually calculated it and appears I am owed the credit.   Is it working for anyone??

[jsmithjr732]

I tested by increasing my tax liability to see if the $0 credit would change. It didn't. There looks to be something wrong with the calculations of this credit.

TT team - please review!

[robbiejd]

Same issue! I have a tax total amount owed but also showing $0 for the credit. Can ya'll fix this so we may file?

[lpuff]

Please reply with information about when this glitch in the Turbo Tax software will be completed. I've used, and sworn by, TurboTax since the 1990s. I've been convinced that I was not missing out on credits or deductions and that completing my taxes on my own with the help of TurboTax was as least as good as, if not better than, paying a tax preparer. However, with the lack of information regarding this situation, I am no longer convinced purchasing TurboTax is the best option.

Any truthful answer is better than silence on this issue. Please let us know, that you are aware of the glitch and that someone is working on fixing it. An ETA of when it might be fixed, or instructions on how to work around the glitch, would be very much appreciated.

As you can tell, those of us complaining are very much aware that, as a credit, the credit amount will be zero if we owe no taxes. I can assure you that I do, as, it appears, many of those commenting do, owe taxes. Before I pay those taxes I want to make sure I am taking full advantage of every opportunity to lower those taxes. Additionally, I would  very much like to get my taxes filed ASAP.

Sincerely,

[akirsch]

I did find an answer to why the credit was calculating at zero (Thanks Luis from Turbotax support).  It does have to do with AMT.   If your Regular Taxes Before Credits - Credits < Tentative Minimum Tax you get no credit. 

To verify the numbers visit "Federal" ->  "Other Tax Situations" -> Alternative Minimum Tax.  This will show you your Tentative Minimum Tax.

You can then visit Tax  Tools -> Review Tax Summary and Look at Tentative Tax - Total Credits and if that number is smaller than the Tentative Minimum Tax you get $0.00 credit.

If you switch to an itemized deduction you have a few (Charitable Donations, Sales Tax, and I think Mortgage Interest) deductions that get subtracted from Alternative Minimum Tax which might be enough to get you a credit.

Hope this helps others.

[Nathan_H]

I hate to disagree with Luis, since obviously he's a tax professional and I'm just some dude.. but my regular tax minus my credits is already WAY under my tentative minimum tax.. because my credits are quite large between my PHEV purchase and all of my kids.  The requirements for 8911 relate to AMT.. which TT is NOT calculating for me.   If the AMT was the difference between (regular tax - credits) and (tentative minimum).. then I'd have an AMT amount due.. and I don't.   Because I don't have an AMT amount due, I should be able to take this credit based.

I don't meet either of the two exclusion scenarios:

 - If your credit is bigger than what you owe in taxes, the taxes you owe are reduced to zero, and the rest of your credit is lost.
 - If you pay alternative minimum tax (AMT) you will not be able to claim this credit. If you are close to paying AMT, this credit may be limited by your tentative minimum tax as calculated on Form 6251, Alternative Minimum Tax - Individuals, line 33.

The second options makes it sound like maybe I'm close to the AMT, but when I look at my AMT worksheet.. my tentative minimum tax would have to be like $6k higher before subtracting my regular tax would result in a positive value.

I believe there's a bug in their logic, and Luis is explaining you the same broken logic.  Did you look at your AMT worksheet?  Do you have an AMT value?  Are you close the an AMT value?  I'm not, and I still get $0.

[robbiejd]

It's absolutely broken and no one is addressing it. Even the Jump to form 8911 doesn't take you to the form, just bumps you back to the overall deductions page.

[akirsch]

Hey Nathan,

I manually filled out the 8911 form and TurboTax is calculating correctly.  I am not paying AMT and have the same circumstance where the EV Vehicle Credit and Child Credits are putting me well below the AMT Tentative Tax.

You can certainly fill out the 8911 manually;  It my case Line 18 Calculates to -$390 which means I do not qualify or need to find a way to reduce my Tentative Minimum Tax.  You can read the Instructions for Line 17/18 Here:  https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/i8911.pdf

[Nathan_H]

Thanks for the additional detail.  I did fill out the form manually and now I see that this isn't just about AMT.. or TMT by itself.. it really comes down to whether or not your Net Regular Tax (regular tax minus credits) is less than the TMT.  

So .. even though I owe taxes.. and have no AMT.. because my NRT is less than my TMT.. I can't take this credit.  I have a bunch of kids.. so even without my EV credit I would never have a large enough gap between my NRT and my TMT to squeeze this in.

It looks like Turbo Tax is calculating it correct.. it might help if they put that detail on their 8911 page so people understand. 

Anywho, what a bunch of $#!+ 🙂