Turbotax social security taxable amount incorrect?

[w_j_hofmann]

Turbotax social security taxable amount line 6b in my case differs from IRS ITA calculator by $470. Has anyone else had this problem and, if so, how was it solved? Thank you!

[SteamTrain]

No one has yet found an error there...for the entire tax season with millions of tax returns already filed.

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BUT, to check

Save a PDF copy of your tax file with all documents and worksheets

Then look at the Social Security Benefits Worksheet.

Lines 1-thru-20  are TTX's calculations.

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Other: don't forget that tax-exempt $$ in line 2a of the form 1040 also add into your MAGI for calcualting the SS Taxable income.

[w_j_hofmann]

Thanks so much for your very kind, thoughtful, and helpful reply.

Did download return and looked through all 18 pages for federal and state. No social security benefits worksheet was included. This and the fact that the taxable amount Turbotax included on line 6b was 85% of social security benefits (maximum amount taxable) makes me wonder if the calculation was even performed.

Any further thoughts on how to proceed would be much appreciated. Thank you!

[SteamTrain · Accepted solution]

@w_j_hofmann 

You need to select the PDF that includes all forms AND worksheets.....should be 50-150 pages (wild guess...18 sound like only the filing copy)

That extended PDF is one of the selections in the Print Center

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IF you've already filed your taxes, you have to get the Print Center to show up on the left side.

To do that you'd select "Add A State" to get back into yoru actual tax file (no, it doesn't add a state unless you really do so).  Then you can mess with the left-side menu to get to the Print Center,

[w_j_hofmann]

Wow -- what a GREAT help you are and how blessed we are to have someone with your caring and expertise in the community!

Did as you suggested to find the more complete tax file with worksheets in the Print Center and that solved the problem. The Turbotax social security worksheet specifically mentions to include income on line 8 in the 1040, which is not specified in the IRS online ITA calculator. Turns out my line 8 had 644 in unemployment compensation, which when I added it in while re-trying the IRS online ITA calculator then gave the same result for taxable social security benefits as Turbotax.

Thank you so VERY much -- now I can stop tearing my hair out!

[tiutniwantsdata]

I find the SS taxable worksheet in TT for 2022 to be WAY OFF. It asks for the SS amount twice, before doing the rest of the calculations. This is contrary to the IRS's own worksheet here:

https://img1.wsimg.com/blobby/go/35e70200-9d7d-4401-b45f-7c8d57460c76/downloads/Social%20Security%20...

This appears to be a huge error and would cost us thousands of dollars if I used the TT worksheet instead of the IRS one. TT's logic of doubling the amount of SS received makes before doing the taxable amount calculation no sense.

[AnnetteB6]

The worksheet used in TurboTax matches the worksheet referenced in your question line for line.  

If you can provide more details about where you are seeing that the Social Security is included twice in the calculation, we would be happy to take a closer look.

Also, were there any lump sum Social Security payments included in your benefits paid in 2022?  If so, there is a series of worksheets used to make that calculation.

@tiutniwantsdata 

[tiutniwantsdata]

As I explained in response to another (I'm not familiar with how to track threads here), the TT worksheet does not track the IRS linked pdf worksheet I linked. IRS worksheet does not ask for the same amount in two places, and then explicitly to add them together. Please read my posts in the other thread.

The TT spreadsheet also comes up with a different answer even when I ignore the initial duplication problem.

And no, I had no lump sums and thus didn't have to deal with that added complexity.

Thanks.

[tiutniwantsdata]

I had the same problem. I solved it by using this worksheet instead: https://img1.wsimg.com/blobby/go/35e70200-9d7d-4401-b45f-7c8d57460c76/downloads/Social%20Security%20...

It seems to follow the IRS rules more accurately.

I used "override" in the TT worksheet to put in the IRS worksheet number.

[mvurek]

After submitting my 2021 taxes (in Aug 2023) via TT the IRS recalculated my taxable social security income and refunded me $2100.  I guess that they used their worksheet.

What do I use for my 2022 return?

[dmertz]

This worksheet in TurboTax asks for the amount of you Social Security benefits in only one place, not two.  If the total on line 1 of the worksheet is double what it should be, you've entered something incorrectly.  Don't confuse an SSA-1099 with an RRB-1099.  If you are filing jointly, make sure that you have not entered the same SSA-1099 for both taxpayer and spouse.  To have entries for both taxpayer and spouse, both must have received Forms SSA-1099 likely showing different amounts.