Massachusetts PFML 1099-G prevents e-file

[mikedn]

My wife was on PFML for maternity leave in 2024 and returned to work just after the 1st of the year in 2025. She received a 2025 Massachusetts 1099-G which we have entered as "unemployment" benefits in TurboTax.

Her "Line 1 "Unemployment Compensation" amount is $0. Yes, that's correct. Line 1 is recorded on her 1099 as $0. I do not know why this is, perhaps it has something to do w/ the timing of her return to work. I don't know.

Her Line 4 "Federal Income Tax Withheld" amount is $428 and her Line 11 "State Income Tax withheld" amount is shown as $214.

Turbotax refuses to let me e-file this return (despite having paid for my federal and state filing e-file fees) claiming my return has an error. My return doesn't have an error -- the amounts I entered are correct as reported to me on the Massachusetts 1099-G. A picture is attached below demonstrating this. However, TurboTax insists this is an error.

How do I bypass this error and e-file my return. Or, how do I get a refund on my pre-paid e-filing fees which I cannot use now, because I have to manually print the return off and physically mail it to the IRS instead.

Mass 1099-G

[DavidD66]

If you received medical leave benefit payments from DFML, but box 1 of your 1099-G is zero, that means that any payments you received were not considered taxable.  That would explain why Box 1 is empty (or $0).  

Did you enter $0 for box 1, or leave it blank when you input the 1099-G information into TurboTax?  If not, try that.  If $0 doesn't work, try entering $1.    

[mikedn]

No matter what I put in for box 1 in Turbotax (blank, $0, or $1), the system will not let me e-file. It insists this is an error and when I go to eFile, it tells me I have errors to correct.

I get it. How can I pay $600 in state and local taxes when the taxable line is $0? Under normal circumstances, I would think this would be an error. However, as the picture of the 1099-G clearly indicates, this is correct, and how Mass reports PFML for whatever reason.

I suppose one solution would be to put an amount in Line 1 which exceeds the amount of state and federal tax. But that sort of defeats the purpose, doesn't it?

I can just print and mail the return instead with the "incorrect" (but correct) information provided on the MA 1099-G. But I want my money back that I paid for the e-Filing fee.

[RogerD1]

Since your form has taxes withheld, but no income to offset those, it will need to be entered a different way to clear the error.  Go ahead and remove the 1099-G from your return and then enter the amount of taxes on the 1099-G following these steps:

1. Go to the Deductions and Credits section in TurboTax in the Personal section.
2. Scroll down to Estimates and Other Taxes Paid, then select Other Income Taxes - by clicking Start to the right of it
3. Scroll down to the Other Income Taxes Paid in 2025 section and select Start for Withholding not already entered on a W-2 or 1099
4. Select Yes for "Do you have any tax withholding you haven't entered yet?"
5. Enter the Federal withholdings in its box then select Massachusetts for state withholdings and enter the amount of MA withholdings from the 1099-G.  Select Continue.

The information from the 1099-G is already in the hands of both the IRS and Massachusetts, so they will be able to match it up with the information on your return.  You will also be able to file electronically now.

[mikedn]

Thank you Roger. 

Unfortunately, I still cannot e-File.  At least, I cannot e-File the state return, for which I already paid $20. I'm not getting an error on the federal side now. I can mail the state return, I don't really care, but I want my $20 back.

[RogerD1]

If you want to request a refund of your e-file fees, please follow this link:  How do I request a refund of my TurboTax product? and follow the instructions there for that.