TurboTax 2023 Premier, Request Federal Refund

[Blueskytoday]

As originally filed, I requested all of my excess tax payments be applied to next year's return (i.e. to 2024).

I've changed my mind. I want a full refund, both Federal and State (CA).

I've tried to create an amended return for 2023 but there are multiple issues. FWIW, there doesn't seem to be a direct way to simply say "Hey TurboTax, I don't want to apply my excess to 2024, I want to get a refund now".

After stumbling along, I get into the situation where my Federal and State Information Worksheets know that I want a refund and what the direct deposit information is (Bank Name, Routing Number, Account Number).

However,

1. The direct deposit information is not present on IRS Form 1040 or California Form 504. Does it need to be?

2. The information boxes at the top center part of TurboTax tell me that I have ZERO refunds for Fed and State. That's not true. I have large refunds for both Fed and State. This suggests that TurboTax is confused.

3. The Summary Pages for both Fed and State tell me that my refunds are being applied to tax year 2024. That contradicts Fed Form 1040 and 1040-X and CA Form 540.

What going wrong here?

Cheers,

BlueSkyToday

[VolvoGirl]

Don't know if you can change that by amending.  Amending assumes you got the first refunds.  And you should not amend until the first return is fully processed.   You may have to call the IRS to change it.  

[Blueskytoday]

OK, thanks for the advice.

AFAIK, TurboTax doesn't know if my returns have been finalized. All that they know is that the eFilings have been accepted.

It bothers me that TurboTax is being very inconsistent about both the documents that it's preparing and about the info that it's presenting at the Top-Middle of the app.

1. For the Federal return, the flow seems to be from the Form 1040 Worksheet up to the 1040 and up to the 1040-X. Both of those forms show that a refund is being requested but 1040 has all X's for the Direct Deposit information whereas 1040-X does have the Direct Deposit information.

2. Same kind of problem for the California return. Form 540 shows that a refund is due, but the Direct Deposit information section is grayed out. Whereas the Information Worksheet shows a Direct Deposit is being requested and shows the Direct Deposit information. But Schedule X computes a REFUND amount of zero. Which is completely incorrect.

3. The big friendly boxes at the top-middle of the app (Federal Refund and CA Refund) show zero dollars.

4. The Federal and California 'Return Summary' pages say that the excess is being applied to 2024.

It's a mess.

[MonikaK1]

As @VolvoGirl mentioned, filing an amended return assumes that the refund as per the original return has been issued. You should not attempt to amend a return in TurboTax if a refund is still in process.

If you have just filed your returns, you need to wait to amend them (if needed) until the original Federal return has been processed by the IRS (refund issued / payment processed). Wait until the State return has been processed by your State tax agency before amending the State return. 

Once you have confirmed that the Federal return has been processed, if you used TurboTax Online, and you still wish to amend your return for another reason, log in to your account and select “Amend a return that was filed and accepted.”

See here for more information on preparing an amended return with TurboTax.

When you receive your refund, if you believe you will owe taxes for 2024, you can always adjust your withholding if you have a W-2 job or other income that has taxes withheld, make quarterly estimated payments, or make a payment at any time using IRS Direct Pay.

You can choose to prepare new vouchers for 2024 in TurboTax if you want to pay a higher amount quarterly, even if the amount you are already planning to pay is enough to avoid a penalty. 

You can also plan estimated payments to your state using TurboTax. See this article for details. 

[Blueskytoday]

> As @VolvoGirl mentioned, filing an amended return assumes that the refund as per the original return has been issued. You should not attempt to amend a return in TurboTax if a refund is still in process...

I don't see how this applies. There was no refund for 2023. As I said, I had made excess payments which (in my original filing) I had asked to be applied to my 2024 filing. But I changed my mind. I've decided that I do not want to have my excess applied to 2024, I want to have it refunded.

There's no refund to wait for or payment to wait to be processed.  But how would TurboTax know this? It's clearly not preparing the forms properly. That's the issue that I'm requesting help for.

[Blueskytoday]

Thanks but this doesn't apply to my case.

No refund was ever requested.

I'm a day trader. My only income is from trading. Due to the effects of Wash Sale rules, I had Capital Losses that outweighed my interest and dividends. Therefore, my tax liability was zero. That means that all of my estimated tax payments were excess. This left me with the choice of applying that sum to my 2024 filing or requesting a refund. I decided to apply that sum to my 2024 filing. Now I've changed my mind. I want that sum to be refunded.

[CatinaT1]

I would set up an account with the IRS, an IRS Individual Online Account. You might be able to request they send you your account balance. I do not think amending is the way to go.

Taxpayers with a Social Security number or an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number can create or access their IRS Individual Online Account.

With an IRS Individual Online Account, people can: 

• View balance owed, payment history and schedule payments. 
• Cancel scheduled payments – new feature for 2024. 
• Get transcripts. 
• View or create payment plans. 
• See digital copies of some IRS notices. 
• View key data from their most recently filed tax return, including adjusted gross income. 
• Validate bank accounts and save multiple accounts, eliminating the need to re-enter bank account information every time they make a payment. 
• View, approve and electronically sign power of attorney and tax information authorizations from their tax professional.  

[Blueskytoday]

Thanks, but that's of no help.

[JohnB5677]

Filling an amended return will not help.  

• If the IRS has accepted your return already, you can only request that the IRS issue you a check.
• And that's only if the return has not yet been processed.
• The only alternative is to contact the IRS and request a check.

You can call toll-free at 800-829-1040 or contact a Taxpayer Assistance Center Local IRS Office.

[Blueskytoday]

Thanks, but calling that number is a waste of time in a situation like this. In the old days, if you knew how to navigate the call tree in a slightly obscure way you could speak with an agent about personal taxes. That doesn't appear to be possible now.

No one here seems to be responding to the obvious errors how TurboTax is handling this situation. If, as some people say, it's not possible to request a refund by amending a return, then why does TurboTax change the 1040 from 'Apply it to next year' to 'Refund'?

Another way to look at this is that I can make a small additional change that effects the tax liability. Logically, the Refund/NoRefund question is then in-play. Give that a try. The same errors happen. TurboTax is clearly not handling this properly.

[SusanY1]

You don't need to amend the return to request the change, but you should do it by April 15th. 

You can call the IRS 1-800-829-1040 (which of course will have lengthy hold times this time of year) or you can send a written request, to the address where your return would be filed if you file by mail. 

In this letter be sure to list that you are writing regarding your 2023 Form 1040, and that you made a mistake in selecting that your refund be applied to next year.   As long as you are not required to make estimated tax payments for 2024 under the estimated tax rules, they should honor your request and mail you a refund check. 

Be sure to include your Social Security number and the Social Security number of your spouse, if filing a joint return.  Be sure to sign your request and also have your spouse sign (if applicable.) 

TurboTax "re-opens" the option for a refund when amended a return in anticipation of an additional refund due based on the information being amended. 

You could potentially create an amended return that would allow for a refund, but the process won't be any quicker than sending a letter and isn't guaranteed to work because the IRS will show the refund as "issued" (to the IRS, and not to you.) 

You can find the address to mail your letter to HERE.

 

[Blueskytoday]

Thanks for the reply.

I've called that number multiple times to no avail. They've changed the call tree from the way it was last year (when you could navigate your way through the system, fail to enter some data, and that would trigger an option to talk to an agent).

I may try sending a letter.

I posted about my question on Reddit. Someone there helpfully pointed me to this,

2023 Instruction 1040 (irs.gov)

On page 60 it says,

> Line 36
> Applied to Your 2024

> Estimated Tax
> Enter on line 36 the amount, if any, of
the overpayment on line 34 you want applied to your 2024 estimated tax.

> We will apply this amount to your account unless you include a statement

> requesting us to apply it to your spouse's account. Include your spouse's

> social security number in the statement.

>
> Caution! This election to apply part or all of the amount

> overpaid to your 2024 estimated tax can't be changed later.