I need to edit schedule SE (Form 1040). when i was prompted that line 18 couldn't be blank, I entered 0.

[JohnW152]

To edit Schedule SE:

• Log in to your TurboTax Online account.
• Select Take me to my return.
• Click Tax Tools in the left menu column.
• Select Tools.
• Click Topics Search.
• Type schedule SE, click GO once schedule se, self-employment tax populates
• At the bottom of the Self-Employment Tax page, click Make Adjustments.

On Line 18 of Schedule SE, you're asked to make a calculation of the portion of the net profit or loss that you reported on Line 3 of Schedule SE that was made between March 27, 2020 and December 31, 2020.

The instructions for Line 18 in the IRS's 2020 Instructions for Schedule SE are vague, but they allow you to use any reasonable method to determine this figure:

Use any reasonable method to divide the net profit or (loss) you reported on line 3 between (a) January 1, 2020, through March 26, 2020, and (b) March 27, 2020, through December 31, 2020. A reasonable method will accurately reflect the time when income was earned or accrued and deductible expenses were paid or incurred, depending on your method of accounting. In most cases, a proportional division of the amount reported on line 3 based upon the number of days in each period will be considered reasonable.

[Jenn117]

How do you change Schedule SE line 18 if you used the download version of TurboTax?

[glenn_g]

I got the same error.  I thought TurboTax is supposed to fill in Schedule SE automatically based on the information I enter in the step-by-step process.  Why did it leave line 18 blank?  Does this field require input that the step-by-step dialog does not collect?  If so, I would consider this a bug.

[AnnetteB6]

This question is associated with the option to defer paying some of your self-employment tax due to Covid.  

If you do not want to defer any of the self-employment tax, then enter '0' for line 18 when you see the review question in the error check.

If you do wish to defer paying the self-employment tax, then line 18 is asking for the portion of your Schedule C and/or Schedule F profit that is attributed to March 27, 2020 through December 31, 2020.  

To go back to the input screens related to deferring Self-Employment tax if you qualify, look in the Deductions and Credits section of your return.  Then find the Tax Relief related to Covid-19 section, then Self-employment tax deferral.

When you click Start or Update beside this section you may see a message that you do not qualify to defer the self-employment tax.  If this is the case and you did enter a number during the error check process, then be aware that nothing is being calculated as part of your return as a deferral.  

@Jenn117

@glenn_g

[rittle99]

What is the way to complete the Federal Return when you cannot get past line 18 of Schedule SE  and Line 18 cannot be blank or zero.  I do not want to defer any payment, and below it says to enter zero on line 18, but Turbo Tax will not accept it.

What are we to do here?????

[rittle99]

What you said below is real nice (sarcastic) but I purchased Turbo Tax and installed it on my computer.  Now what I do?  I still cannot get past line 18 on Schedule SE-T - keep getting the nasty message that Max Deferral is TOO LARGE - and I entered zero!

[JamesG1]

This may be helpful.

If you are in TurboTax Desktop, the screen Charitable Cash Contributions under CARES Act appears as the end of Deductions & Credits. First you have to pass the screen Based on what you told us, the standard deduction is best for you at the end of Deductions & Credits.

But you have to qualify for the standard deduction before the screen appears.  So you may want to change the value of one or more itemized deductions to $1 so that you qualify for the standard deduction.  Follow these steps: 

• At the top of the screen, click on Personal.
• At the top of the screen, click on Deductions & Credits.
• Click on I'll choose what I work on.
• Scroll to the bottom of the page and click on Done with deductions.
• Continue through several screens.
• At the screen Based on what you told us, the standard deduction is best for you, click Continue.
• At the screen Any Charitable Cash Contributions? delete the dollar amount.
• Continue through Federal Review to make sure that things look correct.
• Then restore your itemized deductions dollar amounts.