Starting a amended return and the refund indicators do not reset to zero and instead show a bogus number

[cjuhlman]

Please read this Turbotax - 2 bugs are described:

I needed to file an amended return for both fed and California.  I went through the first few steps and the state box reset to zero, but the Federal Refund box went to over $1K tax due - BEFORE I ENTERED ANY NEW DATA!  Where did this come from?  I could not find anything new on any of the schedules or the 1040, but finally I looked at the newly created 1040-X and saw an increase in income of over $6K.  Nowhere on any schedule or form could I find where this number came from!  Just out of the blue?

Eventually I decided to do it the old way where I fill out the forms, print it out and send it in.  I loaded my previously filed tax file and entered the new income data (which was a schedule K-1), and the income, dividends, and additional income all went to the correct places including a newly generated schedule E.  Both of the refund indicators Fed & State showed the correct new amounts - everything looked correct.  And now all I had to do was manually create the 1040-X and the CA 540-X and send the returns to the appropriate places.  A long workaround.

Here is bug # 2:  On the very first page of the printed returns labelled "Electronic Filing Instructions for your 2024 Federal Tax Return", all the amounts are from the original data and do not reflect the new figures - this form did not update.  However, the same form for the California taxes DID update to the correct figures.

Any thoughts on that?  Hope you can fix these issues TT.

[MarilynG1]

Did you get a Federal Form 1040-X in your printed return?  If not, it sounds like your Federal amendment was not completed in the TurboTax program.  You said you entered your new data, and all the forms looked correct; then you manually filled out the 1040X and CA540X and mailed them.

Since we can't see your return in this forum, it's hard to say what happened.  It could be that the Filing Instructions page is wrong, if your printed copy contains a correct 1040X.  If it does not, you could Amend just your Federal return again so it generates a correct 1040X for you.  Then save your amended returns to transfer into 2025.  If you're using TurboTax Online, clear your  Cache and Cookies first.

If you're using TurboTax Desktop, were you able to drill down to the unrecognized amount on your initial 1040X to locate the source?  Did your income amount in Column A, Line 1 change from your original filed return? If so, you can enter the correct amount directly on Form 1040X.  I couldn't recreate your scenario in my test return, but my best guess is that an update changed something in your original return. 

We can take a closer look at this if you are willing to send us a 'sanitized' copy of your tax file, with the original 1040 and the 1040X with the error.  All personal info is removed.  If you're using TurboTax Desktop, choose 'Online' at the top, and 'Send Tax File to Agent'.  In TurboTax Online, in the left-side menu, choose Tax Tools > Tools, then 'Share my file with agent' from the pop-up menu.  Post the Token Number you're given here (a screenshot).

Here's more info on How to Amend a Tax Return.

@cjuhlman