Turbotax Has Frozen & Stopped Calculating

[I Gotta Tell Ya]

Hello, Everyone.

Very frustrated. I've been using Turbotax for about ten (10) years now and am pretty handy with the program. I've gotten to where I use the Forms view and plug in my own numbers.

I have a lot of legitimate expenses for my small business. Typically, when I add each expense, the green tally number shows the increase in my refund (I always feel like I'm in Vegas and beating the house when this happens). Now it won't. When I add an expense, the program just sits there. If I test the program and add some revenue, same result -- no reaction.

I've closed the program, emptied my cache, deleted all temp files, etc., then restarted the computer. When I open TT, the same thing happens -- totally unresponsive.

Additional Info: When I go to Review and look for errors, the program says there are no errors and instructs me to efile my taxes. 

I've set aside the entire day today to finish my 2021 taxes and was almost done, and now this. I assume it's some minor entry causing this glitch, but I'm stumped. 

Any ideas? 

Thanks in advance for your suggestions. It appears TT offers phone support only M-F, but I'd sure like to knock this out today.

Hope you're having a better Saturday than me. 

Cheers.

[Anonymous_]

Are you using a (Windows) desktop version of TurboTax? I presume that to be the case.

If so, have you tried a repair install?

[Critter-3]

First you should never use the FORMS mode for data entry as it can void the accuracy  guarantee and may keep you from efiling.

Next you don't have to enter every single expense if you can enter a simple total per general category ... remember this is an income tax program not an accounting program.  By doing so you can slow up the speed of the program due to the excess entries.

Also make sure your program is up to date and hit the save button often as you go along.  Periodically closing the program would also help.  And sometimes additional expenses will NOT move the Refund-O-Meter at all due to limitations and credits so you can ignore the game while you work ... that meter is only correct when you are completely finished.

[I Gotta Tell Ya]

TagTeam, yes, I'm running TT Deluxe online on a W11 laptop. I bought the online version through Amazon. I normally buy the CD version, but this one has been fine till today. 

No, I haven't tried a repair or an uninstall yet. 

Here's some more info. We file married jointly, and my wife also has a Schedule C for her side business as a church musician. When I go into her schedule C and test it by adding an expense or increasing revenue, the program immediately responds and calculates the new number up top. Bizarre.

Any other thoughts before I get more drastic? 

Thanks Very Much,

Scott

[Critter-3]

And support is open 7 days a week right now until the end of filing season ... 

Follow the steps for your product below to ensure you get the help you need from the right person. We're open daily from 5:00 AM to 9:00 PM PT.

TurboTax Online

1. Sign in to TurboTax Online
2. Select the Help icon from the menu to open the TurboTax Assistant
3. Enter your question, or type in Talk to a specialist
4. Follow the prompts to set up a call
   • Free Edition (without PLUS): This is not covered, so when you select Talk to a specialist, you'll be asked to add PLUS benefits first

The above is the most efficient way for you to connect with the right person. If you still need help, you can contact us at (800) 446-8848.

 

 

TurboTax CD/Download software

1. Go to our Contact us page
2. Select your product and edition, ask your question, then select Continue
3. Enter your contact info, then select Get the phone number

The above is the most efficient way for you to connect with the right person. If you still need help, you can contact us at (800) 446-8848.

[I Gotta Tell Ya]

Critter, thank you. As I mentioned, I've been using TT for more than ten (10) years and always used Forms, and this has never cropped up. I have a very stressful and full schedule, and any other means is too slow.

You've made me thinking of some though, about maybe moving a few expenses into different categories. Let me give it a go and see if anything happens. 

I'll try this right now, as my brain is closed to Swiss cheese.

[I Gotta Tell Ya]

Oh, cool, that's great on the weekend support. I must have read an old post or something. This is most helpful, Critter.

I'm gonna move some expenses around and see what happens. That might be the deal. Will let you know. Thank you SO MUCH.

Scott

[I Gotta Tell Ya]

Another quick question. When I go in and try to delete the dollar amount for an expense it is "locked" and won't allow me to delete the number. How do I "unlock" the number so that I can delete it?

Thanks Much,

Scott

[Critter-3]

Try the uninstall and reload first ... that may losen things up.  Or use the step by step mode and delete things there and/or remove the Sch C and start again.

[I Gotta Tell Ya]

Sounds good, Critter. I'll do the reinstall. I'm about done for the day, but will likely report back in the morn.

Stay Well & Thanks Again,

Scott

[Critter-3]

Just remember the IRS doesn't require an extensive breakdown list of all the expense category totals on the Sch C so try to minimize your entries in the program.  If you are ever audited then you can give them your detailed accounting records if they are requested along with the reciepts.  

[I Gotta Tell Ya]

Critter, thanks. I list my expense only by totals of the category for the year. For instance:

Advertising  $289

Raw Materials  $986

Samples  $559

and so forth. 

Last post of the night. Mostly good news, with a little bad. After a reinstall the program is working again, but only if I go to earlier versions with fewer expenses listed. The current version is still locked up. So no biggie. I'll go back to an earlier version and move things around. 

Thanks again. Have a great evening. 

Scott

[rjs]

Here are two situations that might produce the behavior you are seeing. There might be others as well. In these cases, the software is working correctly, but you have a tax situation on Schedule C that prevents you from benefiting from additional business expenses.

(1) You are claiming expenses for business use of your home on Schedule C line 30. On Schedule C, line 29 is positive (a profit), and line 30 is equal to line 29, so line 31 is zero. If you add expenses that are less than the tentative profit on line 29, line 31 remains zero and your refund does not increase. The deduction for business use of your home cannot create a loss. The deduction is limited to the amount of your tentative profit, so reducing the tentative profit by entering more expenses reduces the business use of your home by the same amount. For example, entering $289 for advertising reduces the business use of your home by $289, so your net profit remains the same and your refund doesn't change.

(2)  Schedule C line 29 is negative (a loss), and box 32b is checked on Schedule C line 32. The loss that you can claim is limited, so adding more expenses does not increase your loss and does not increase your refund.

[I Gotta Tell Ya]

Champ, thanks for your explanation. 

Folks, I figured it out. I knew it was something small.

There's a button in Schedule C where you indicate whether your investment is "All at Risk" or "Partially at Risk." Since I own all materials and machinery outright (I have financed nothing), then my business is "All at Risk." When I changed that designation the form immediately unlocked. Whew.

Thanks!
Scott

[Critter-3]

Ok ... so you could enter more expenses however you were no longer seeing a difference in the refund meter.  That correction makes sense now.