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Level 2
March 6, 2020
Question

If I have found a programming error (not a calculation error) in TurboTax, how do I notify them so they can correct the program?

  • March 6, 2020
  • 16 replies
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16 replies

Level 14
March 6, 2020

You can post it here.  We can look into and verify it before we submit to our programmers. 

 

 

teds1Author
Level 2
March 6, 2020

Thank you. The error I believe exists appears on Wisconsin Form 1, Page 4, in the "Worksheet for Medical Care Insurance and Long-Term Care Insurance Allowable for the Itemized Deduction Credit." Line 6 of the worksheet pulls in a number from the Federal Schedule A -- the long-term care insurance premium amount used as part of the federal deduction for medical expenses. The number showing up in the state worksheet is different from the number that appears in my federal return. The state worksheet is showing the maximum allowable federal long-term care insurance premium deduction. The amount used on the federal Schedule A is less than the maximum because a portion of the long-term care premium was already applied as a self-employed business expense. I can find no State of Wisconsin adjustment that would account for the difference. BTW, because I use the standard deduction for federal, TurboTax produces no Schedule A. The federal long-term care premium deduction appears on the federal "Medical Expenses Worksheet."

teds1Author
Level 2
March 11, 2020

any error resulting in the wrong tax would qualify as a calculation error for claim of refund of penalties and interest from Intuit.


Thank you for that reassurance. I am mostly interested in making sure Turbo Tax knows about this potential error so they can correct their programming and spare others the confusion. Do you know how to bring this info to Turbo Tax? I would assume they are interested in knowing about potential errors.

WendyN2
Level 9
February 4, 2021

State Tax forms have not yet been finalized by most States, therefore the program would not have these updates yet. Updates are performed at least daily so as soon as the information is complete we will have the updates needed. Please note that the IRS as well as States, are not beginning to accept returns for tax year 2020 for processing until February 12th, therefore they still have some time to complete this. 

Level 2
February 20, 2021

I was filling out the 1099R form - box 7 is checked (IRA/SEP/SIMPLE) box - A window populated to please check that Box 7 - CODE 7 is checked because I am not 59 1/2.  But I am 62 and I verified that my date of birth in TT is correct.  So there must be an error in the date calculation.

VolvoGirl
Level 15
February 20, 2021

Box 7 is not a checkmark.  There is a little IRA checkmark box between boxes 7 & 8.   Code 7 just mean a normal distribution (as in non-disability)  I think code 2 is for early distribution.  People sometimes think the 7 in box 7 is the box number but it is also the CODE.  

VolvoGirl
Level 15
February 20, 2021

And not 59 1/2 means you are not UNDER 59 1/2.  Right you are 62.  So you use Code 7 for a normal distribution not an early distribution.  What code is in box 7?  Should be a 7 (same as the box #)

 

Level 2
March 27, 2021

It looks like something is mislabeled.

 

Level 2
March 28, 2021

It appears that information at the top of one page contradicts information on the bottom of the same page.

 

Level 2
March 28, 2021

Level 2
April 13, 2021

Was computing taxes for my 2020 federal.  I receive a 1099 NEC for a small payment for work I do associated with my job.  Since it's from an exterior party this is how they choose to pay me.  I do not have any business expenses and don't consider myself self employed so I entered this into the deluxe version under income (has a place for 1099 NEC).  Anyway, unless the payment is in box 3 (which mine isn't) the 1099NEC requires that the payee pay self employment tax (social security isn't deducted)  The program does not do this.  Instead it simply adds it to your income without computing this tax on the necessary worksheets.  The end result is that the taxes are computed wrong.

 

I would argue that unless someone has business expenses, that turbotax should be equipped to calculate their taxes due in the deluxe model.  The business edition has way more resources than necessary and completing the self employment tax worksheets when no business expenses exist is a simple tax.  

 

Outside of that, turbotax gave no notification that the taxes were computer wrong, that self employment tax was due, and it failed to flag my taxes for an error even though there was one.  I'm fairly positive this has impacted other people in my position without their knowledge and resulted in improperly calculated taxes due.  The error needs fixed.

 

On a side note, I was told to download the business edition, which I did.  If you enter the income in the business section it works correctly, entered into personal income, it does not.  Again this is an error.  And again I would argue that the deluxe vs. should compute the proper tax for individuals who are not truly self employed and have no business expenses.  I would like a refund on my upgrade, and for the deluxe version to calculate properly.  At the absolute least, the flaw in the programming that allows the tax to be computed incorrectly needs repaired. 

VolvoGirl
Level 15
April 13, 2021

When you say you downloaded the Business program do you mean Home & Business personal program or the separate Business program?  The Business program only does Partnership, LLC, Corp. and Estate/Trust returns.

 

Yes you can enter 1099NEC self employment income into Deluxe and get Schedule C to pay the SE tax.   Deluxe should work like the Home & Business version.  Actually all the Desktop programs have the same forms.  Did use the Desktop Deluxe or the Online web Deluxe?  

 

You can try asking for a refund. 

Contact Customer Service
5am-9pm Pacific Time
7 days a week
https://support.turbotax.intuit.com/contact/

What is the Turbo Tax phone number
https://ttlc.intuit.com/community/using-turbotax/help/what-is-the-turbotax-phone-number/00/25632

Level 2
April 13, 2021

Yes, Home and Business.  The issue is that the deluxe program didn't generate those forms, it didn't fill out schedule C, or schedule SE as it should have.  This left my taxes incomplete as I never reported self employment tax due.  That is where the error is.  Once it's fixed I'll request the refund for home and business as I shouldn't need it.  The funny thing is when you enter the 1099 NEC into the business side instead of the personal side it does generate the proper forms.  Entered into the personal side it does not.  I should be able to do either.

Level 2
January 30, 2022

The 2021 summary of deductions page shows my $300 CHARITABLE CASH CONTRIBUTION.

 

The program says the standard deduction is 12,550.  Then, just below that shows the $300 cash donation. Then, reflects a total of 12,550 in deductions.  The very next page shows "the standard deduction of 12,850 is right for you.

 

BUT, then in the wrap up, the program again shows 12,550 in "Federal Deductions we found for you."

Level 15
January 30, 2022

@JotikaT2 has the perfect answer for this -

 

You can correct this by logging back into your TurboTax program and following the steps below.

  1. Click on the Federal Taxes tab.
  2. Select the Deductions & Credits tab.
  3. On the screen titled How do you want to enter your deductions and credits?, select I'll choose what I work on.
  4. Scroll down to Charitable Donations.
  5. Select Update to the right of Donations to Charity in 2021.
  6. You will see a screen titled Review All Your Charities.
  7. To the right of any deductions entered, select Delete to remove any input.
  8. You will then select Done with Charitable Donations.
  9. On the next page (Deductions), scroll down to the bottom and click on Done with Deductions.
  10. Proceed through the following screens until you pass the screen letting you know you are getting the Standard Deduction.  
  11. The next screen titled Charitable Cash Contributions under the Care Act will allow you to enter your charitable contributions for 2021.  Enter your total cash contributions on this screen and select Continue.

Charitable Cash Contributions

 

This will correct the issue and allow you to continue with your tax return. 

 

Here's a link to her original answer.

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Level 2
January 30, 2022

This did not fix the error. Total deductions still shows 12,550 which is incorrect.  I will wait on an update before filing. Uggha. 

Level 2
February 2, 2022

I rent portions of my house as Rental A, and Rental B and Rental C. The real estate tax leftover calculations for each are summed up in Schedule A making a total much larger than my actual real estate tax I paid.

MarilynG
Level 15
February 3, 2022

Actually, this is not a program error, if you are entering all 3 rooms as separate rentals.

 

If you tell TurboTax that Rental A is 20% of your home, for instance, and enter the full amount of your home's real estate tax, it correctly calculates 20% as a Rental Expense and puts the other 80% into Itemized Deductions.  

 

If you do the same for Rental B and Rental C, you will have triple the amount of real estate tax reported on Schedule A.  TurboTax doesn't know that you have 2 other rentals for the same home that you are entering a % of.  

 

A couple workarounds would be to:

 

(1) enter the rental portions of the taxes yourself (choose that option as shown on screenshot), and enter the Schedule A amounts yourself.

 

(2) Combine Rental A, B, and C as one rental, with a total % of your home, and let TurboTax do the calculations.  Then when you enter 40% of your property is rental, for example, you'll get the correct amount for the rental and for Schedule A when you enter the total home taxes. 

 

Click this link for more discussion on Renting Multiple Rooms in My Home.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Level 2
February 6, 2022

I have found a Software Mistake in RRB-1099-R: For my spouse's RRB-1099-R, it puts Block 4 from RRB form into Block 3 (Employee Contributions)  on "Distributions from Pensions, IRAs, etc" on sheet marked Form1099-R in upper left hand corner. When I went into the form, blanked block 3, and put the amount in block 4, the form filled in properly.

I have spent hours trying to figure out how to 2) let you know there's a problem, after I tried  searching 1) for why it was asking other non-pertinent information I never had to answer in the last 17 years.

It also put an erroneous code of 3 in the Distribn Code(s) block. NOT A 7, as per the IRS instructions default, since it is not printed on the USRRB form RRB-1099-R.

Level 2
March 19, 2022

I also have an error I hope turbo tax notices. 

In the Utah state taxes page 2 of 3 of the “Let’s check for other Utah credits” two of the options have the exact same explanation on “learn more”. The credit that relates to “research activities” and the “owning a business” credit have the same explanation related to research activities.  I believe this to be an error as all the other “learn more” buttons have an explanation that relates to the item you click on. 

Also on this page it mentions that we will not see the “at-home” credit because we made too much. That is fine but we do own a business and would potentially qualify for that. (I’m not 100% sure because when I click “learn more” the explanation is related to research activities.  

 

 

 

 

Clicking on research activities. 


Clicking on owned or had part ownership. 





When I click on “yes” that we do have a credit to claim the drop down list shows “at-home” credit which I claimed it wouldn’t show me. And it does not show the own a business credit. 

 

 

 

 

 

MarilynG
Level 15
March 19, 2022

Thanks for pointing out the duplicate 'Learn More' screens.  This will be passed on appropriately.

 

To qualify for the Utah 'At Home Credit' the following applies:

 

"..the total of the at-home parent’s wages, tips and compensation listed on federal W-2 forms and the gross income on federal Schedule C, Profit or Loss from Business, line 7, must be $3,000 or less for the taxable year.."

 

Here's more detail from the Utah Tax Commission.  

 

Other qualifications include:

 

  • You or your spouse provide full-time, at-home care for an infant child. The child must be 12 months old or younger on the last day of the tax year for which the credit is claimed.
  • The at-home parent must provide full-time care in the at-home parent’s residence.
  • The child must be claimed as a dependent on the at-home parent’s tax return.

 

Remember, the credit is nonrefundable. So, if your tax liability is zero, this credit will not produce a refund.

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Level 2
March 19, 2022

@MarilynG

 

Thank you so much for your reply. I actually know that we don’t qualify for the at-home credit because TurboTax said we made too much to qualify for it. There are two other issues. 

1. We might qualify for the “owner or partial owners of a business” credit. When I click on the “learn more” the information appears to be for the “research activities” credit. So I’m not 100% sure if we qualify because it appears the learn more is incorrect. If you can send me to an external link explaining what we need to qualify for that one that would be so helpful! Just like you did with the at-home credit info.  

2. Second issue is if I click “yes” we do qualify for the credit. Then the next page on TurboTax takes me to a place to log the information for that credit. On the drop down list it shows the “at-home credit” that it said it wouldn’t show. And it doesn’t show the l “business owner” credit we might qualify for. So IF we do qualify for the business owner credit we can’t even log that information into TurboTax. 

Thanks for your help earlier hope this makes sense and we can figure this out.