Bug report - joint return w/deceased spouse efile rejected by IRS

[macuser_22]

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@Al46 wrote:

FYI.  The customer support lady I spoke to did not know about this condition.  She looked it up, and it was not evident that it was not solvable.  We spent about an hour on the phone trying to solve it.

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That is why I am giving you the link to the article that addresses that problem that the "support lady" should also have access to.

https://ttlc.intuit.com/community/tax-topics/help/customer-s-are-being-rejected-ind-032-04-for-spous...

[fanfare]

You might think in the age of the Cloud  that Customer Support would be updated on all the latest issues and resolutions being worked or ready to go, and workarounds.

Well, dinosaur service companies like Intuit just don't work that way.  

There is no way to push the info to the customer reps workstation. 

Even if possible the managers might not like the cost of implementation.

If anybody knows of  any company in the US that does that in real time (within 24 hours), identify them so we can give kudos.

[Al46]

What is the plan to fix this bug?  I would love to eFile, but I read that TT was not going to fix it.  Do you have other information?  

If I mail this in, then it doesn't matter to me if this bug is fixed.  

[Carl]

I'm sorry for your loss. I suspect the bug is in the IRS computers, not the TurboTax program. The message I would expect you to get on the rejected e-file attempt is "SSN LOCKED".  This indicates that whoever handle the final arrangements did their job and notified the Social Security Administration of her passing.

The IRS pulls their data from the SS database every year. Usually around December. So if your spouse had been reported as having passed in 2019, the IRS would have locked her SSN so that it could not be used fraudulently. This being the case, you have no choice but to print, sign and mail the return to the IRS this year.

 - Yes, you were correct to file MFJ for 2019 because you are still entitled to her standard deduction for the entire year, regardless of the date she passed.

[Al46]

Hi.  That is not the error message I was getting.  I was getting the "missing AGI" message that everyone else was getting.  That says to me, based on the discussions in this blog, that her SSN was not locked.

[macuser_22]

@Al46 Did yiu click the link in my post above.  TurboTax is working on the problem and you can sign up on that link for e-mail updates.

[Mitch59]

CARL:  You are not correct when stating: "This being the case, you have no choice but to print, sign and mail the return to the IRS this year" - many of us have successfully e-Filed using the exact same information that was in TurboTax, but using a different program (FreeTaxUSA), so the problem is not with the IRS, it is with TurboTax and they basically have admitted to the bug (see comments from macuser_22) but have refused to fix it yet.

MACUSER_22: While there is a link to sign up for updates from TurboTax for this issue, there is NO indication that they are actually working on the BUG because I have received NO information from them since signing up the day it appeared.

[macuser_22]

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@Mitch59 wrote:

CARL:  You are not correct when stating: "This being the case, you have no choice but to print, sign and mail the return to the IRS this year" - many of us have successfully e-Filed using the exact same

MACUSER_22: While there is a link to sign up for updates from TurboTax for this issue, there is NO indication that they are actually working on the BUG because I have received NO information from them since signing up the day it appeared.

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The fact that they published the containment FAQ means that it is being worked on.  Once they have a fix and schedule it for a future update they will send a  email.   Updates are usually 2-4 weeks apart.  The last update was 4/9 and there is supposed to be a 5/14 update.

[Discipulus]

Thanks @macuser_22, I've spent a while looking at pages of suggestions to check the AGI or try submitting the AGI as 0 for this situation where there is a deceased spouse on a MFJ return.  I am glad the information you shared that this is finally being acknowledged as a bug / defect and should get addressed in a future update.  

I'm helping my father with his return with this situation.  As another point for reference, I did go out to TaxFreeUSA and reentered his tax return there with him as we don't really want to wait on a fix or mail in the return.  Glad to say that our eFile on the other service was accepted by the IRS so the problem does seem to be something on the TT side.  I hope this is being given a high priority for a fix as it seems to be impacting a lot of people.   

[shellypn]

Token # 649681

[peclarkjr]

I signed up for notifications on this bug fix and got an email today indicating it was fixed.  Can't find anything in the release notes but I have a critical update to the federal tax forms with yesterdays date.  Email provided no help on what steps to take.  My return is still in a rejected status.  Not sure if I just need to try refiling or what.  Anyone else tried yet?

[Critter]

I suggest you run the program update then complete the MY INFO section again ... click thru every screen to reset ... then do the REVIEW & FILES tabs again.  

[macuser_22]

Try re-filing (tomorrow, not today because online will probably be updated tonight) and let is know what happens.

[Al46]

Sorry.  It is too late.  With all the discussion about TT not accepting this as a fault, and that there was going to be no change, the only option was to mail it in.  I put it in the mail last weekend.

[macuser_22]

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@Al46 wrote:

Sorry.  It is too late.  With all the discussion about TT not accepting this as a fault, and that there was going to be no change, the only option was to mail it in.  I put it in the mail last weekend.

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Sorry that you did that, because of the Corona virus shut down the IRS is not doing anything with mailed returns except storing them.    It might be a long wait.

https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/irs-operations-during-covid-19-mission-critical-functions-continue