Hate to tell you but you really should be using the 2021 what if tool in the FORMS mode for 2022 estimates since the 2022 program is never fully functional prior to the end of the year.
A LOT of the program is not functional yet mostly due to the IRS not being ready ... they have not yet issued all of the final forms or instructions for many things so the software companies "punt" for right now until the true game can commence ...
These first releases of the program are usually very buggy and will require MANY updates before it becomes fully functional which usually will not happen until late January or sometime in February depending on the forms you need. So patience will be needed as the IRS has not even announced when the 2022 filing season will start yet.
The tax programs this year have had to be reworked (again like last year) by every tax software company due to the changes above since it is not just as simple as " adding a form or worksheet " since many of the forms interwork with each other ... lots of moving parts to coordinate. And before they can get final approval they need to be tested and approved by the IRS who themselves are not up to speed yet ... this is an impossible situation that will require patience on all fronts.
Although TurboTax may allow you to e-filed some returns as early as 1/6/23 (IF the forms in your return are ready for filing … see info below) they are NOT actually sent to the IRS. TurboTax stores those early filed returns in a holding “POOL” until the IRS opens for business and “drains the pool” for processing ... only then will you get an e-mail telling you if the return was accepted or rejected by the IRS.
Only the simplest returns can be transmitted to TurboTax early. Some forms will not be finalized until Jan 25 and some later than that.
https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/1908854-forms-availability-table-for-turbotax-federal-products-exc...
Why does TurboTax allow early filing? Because their competitors do - It is a marketing ploy to capture market share.
Filing early with TurboTax before the IRS opens is a really BAD IDEA for many reasons...
1) If you discover something that is wrong on your return, receive a W-2 that is different, receive some other tax document that was not on the return that you filed then there is NOTHING that you can do about it other than wait to see if the IRS accepts or rejects the return after they open. If rejected you can correct and file again, but if accepted then the only remedy is to amend which can take at the very least 4 months to process.
2) You must remember to check back after the IRS opens (or check for an e-mail) to confirm that the IRS has accepted or rejected the return. If rejected, then it was never filed at all and must be corrected and re-filed. Every year many taxpayers that file early, forget to check back and only discover months later that they never actually filed because if was rejected by the IRS but they had forgotten about checking back after filing with TurboTax.
3) While the IRS does conduct some pre-opening tests and does accept some returns early (ONLY for TESTING purposes), they will not actually process those until after the official opening date. The reason they do testing is to discover any problems with their systems. A couple of years ago a test went bad and several thousand "test" returns were lost. The IRS was able to recover those but it delayed refunds for some by months.
There is no real advantage to file before the IRS opens but there are several disadvantages to doing so.
When will my forms be ready?
Historically, IRS tax forms start becoming available in January, with a few stragglers (most notably Form 1040X) getting finalized in February.
State tax forms can become available for filing any time between December and late February, depending on the state and the tax form.
For specific forms and dates, refer to the Forms Availability Table for your TurboTax product, see the related information below.
Can I Still Work On My Return Before My Forms are Ready?
Yes, according to the following:
Federal Taxes
You can still work on your return and finish most of it. Once your forms become available, we’ll create the forms and include all of your info.
You’ll only be able to e-file or print your return once the forms are available.
While you’re working on your return, we’ll ask if you want to receive email updates when your forms become available.
State Taxes
If your forms aren’t available, you’ll get a message asking you to return once they become available.
While you’re working on your return, you’ll have a chance to let us know you want to receive email updates when your forms become available.
This is my mini version of a tutorial that should be in the downloaded program:
What is Forms Mode?
Forms Mode lets you view and make changes to your tax forms "behind the scenes."
If you're adventurous, you can even prepare your return in Forms Mode, but we don't recommend it. You may miss obscure credits and deductions you qualify for, and you may forget to report things that will come back and haunt you later.
Forms Mode is exclusively available in the TurboTax CD/Download software. It is not available in TurboTax Online.
Related Information:
If you want to play around with different figures and tax scenarios without affecting your original return you can ….
- >>>In the TurboTax CD/Download software by creating a test copy:
- 1. Open your return in TurboTax.
- 2. From the File menu, choose Save As.
- 3. Give the copy a new name to distinguish it from the original (for example, by adding "Test" or "Example" to the file name).
- 4. Click Save. You are now safely working in the test copy and anything you do here will not affect the original.
- https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/1900642-how-to-make-a-test-copy-of-your-return
- >> use the WHAT IF tool:
- - Click Forms Icon (upper right of screen) or Ctrl 2 (forms view)
- - Click on the Open Form Icon
- - In the “Type a form name.” area type What-If (with the dash), click on the name of the worksheet - click on Open Form
- - You will see the worksheet on the right side of the screen; enter the information right into the form
- - To get back to interview mode - click on the Step-by-Step Icon (upper right of screen) or Ctrl 1
Once you have filed successfully … you can shut off the auto updater function and then save the return & .taxfile.
For Windows, up in the top menu, you can set the "Updater Preferences" to "Always Ask" or more commonly set to "I don't have an internet connection" (even if you do), and then you are not forced to update....and can manually force an update when you choose to do so. And then you can open the file(s) at any time with no forced upgrade.
But that's the Windows software.....not a MAC. For a MAC you cannot turn off the auto updater HOWEVER you can simply disconnect from the internet before opening the tax return.
It's always a good idea to make a backup copy of your tax data file, in case your original gets lost or corrupted. Here's how:
- From the File menu in the upper-left corner of TurboTax, choose Save As (Windows) or Save (Mac).
- Browse to where you want to save your backup.
- Tip: If you're saving to a portable device, save it to your computer first to prevent data corruption. Then, after completing Step 4, copy or move the backup file to your device.
- In the File name field, enter a name that will distinguish it from the original tax file (for example, add "Backup" or "Copy" to the file name)
- Click Save and then close TurboTax.
- Restart TurboTax and open the backup copy to make sure it's not corrupted. If you get an error, delete the backup and repeat these steps.
If you make changes to your original tax return file, repeat these steps to ensure your original and backup copies are in-synch.
Related Information:
AND save it as a PDF so you have access to a copy even if you don’t have the program still installed and operational :
AND protect the files :
*** Other clues to the downloaded program ***
In the forms mode ... double click or right click on a box on a form to data source it ... sadly it doesn't work on all boxes.
What's the meaning of all the different colors in Forms Mode?
When you look at an onscreen tax form using Forms Mode, you might wonder why one figure is blue and the one next to it is red or black.
These colors indicate the source of that data.
Color | Meaning |
Blue | You entered this data, either in the interview or Forms Mode. |
Black | The program entered this data or calculated this amount. |
Red | This data has either been overridden or is invalid (for example, a ZIP code that doesn't exist). |
Red italics | You marked this amount as estimated. |
Black italics | The program calculated this amount from an amount you marked as estimated. |
Purple | This information has supporting details. |
Aquamarine | This data was transferred over from last year. |
Green | This data was imported from Quicken or QuickBooks. |
Yellow fields (Windows) | Yellow fields allow user input. Anything you enter here shows up in blue. |
