I only receive SS benefits. My last 2 returns done by a tax preparer, this year I'm doing it. She entered $1 under my wages with SCH typed in. How do I do that?

[nsuarezlp]

I'm currently using the Free TurboTax for this. Wondering if it makes a difference to use an upgraded version to manually enter $1 onto Line 1 without a W2.

[VolvoGirl]

I don't know why they did it that way.  If you want to efile and only have SS income you can add $1 of bank interest.  Make up a fake 1099-Int for it and put $1 in box 1.  It won't affect your return.  

Enter a 1099-Int under

Federal

Wages & Income

Interest and Dividends

Interest on 1099-INT - Click the Start or Update button

Enter it manually.  Don't type the bank name or try to import it.
At the bottom pick - Change How I enter my Form

Then on the next screen pick - I'll Type it in Myself

[VolvoGirl]

By the way, SCH by line 1 means taxable Scholarship  income like if you are a student.   That seems like the wrong way to add income to let you efile.    And why do you want to file?  If you only have SS or SSDI you do not need to file a return at all.  

[nsuarezlp]

Thanks for the response. I'll lean toward your recommendation and instead of putting it down as taxable scholarship, put it down as interest. It wants me to put in a financial institution who paid me that interest income. Is this required? I suppose I can write my bank info where the SSI is being deposited. I'm filing for purpose of economic impact payment even though I only receive SSI. If I decide to go with taxable scholarship for the income, how do I manually enter that? 

[VolvoGirl]

Just enter it as interest.  Type in any name for the bank.   All you need is a description and amount in box 1.  It might be trying to import it.  Skip that page.  

At the bottom pick - Change How I enter my Form

Then on the next screen pick - I'll Type it in Myself

[VolvoGirl]

Maybe this screenshot will help?

[nsuarezlp]

I got the interest part. Just wanted to inquire about entering it in as income for the SCH. Thanks so much. 

[Critter-3]

What the other person did was just a work around to allow you to efile since you have NO taxable income.  For 2021 you do NOT need taxable income to get the CTC or RRC  credits  so you can simply skip that option.  However if you don't have either of those credits and your ONLY income is SS  then you do not need to file at all UNLESS you have ACA insurance form 1095-A to report.