TurboTax not sending state taxes paid amount from W-2 to my state return. How do I get that amount entered on my state return?

[riederer]

My W-2 shows state income taxes paid.  This value is not getting to my state return.  I pay estimated taxes quarterly and that is the only payment that shows up in the final summary.  I tried:

- deleting and re-importing my W-2, several times

- deleting and recreating the state return, again several times

- called the TT user help line, who referred me to an "expert" but they wanted to charge me $70 to talk to them

- I tried editing the state tax paid on the W-2, but still no luck

- I posted this question on Sunday and received an email Monday (quick turnaround, thank you) telling me to delete the W-2 form and enter it manually

- after that didn't work I deleted and recreated the state return one more time.

Are there any other actions I can take to resolve this issue?

Thanks in advance,

Dick

Long-time TT user

[LindaS5247]

If your state withholdings are not being sent to your state tax return in TurboTax you can try the steps listed below.

• Go back to your W-2 and make sure that the two-letter state abbreviation (e.g., NY, CA) is correctly entered in Box 15. If this is blank or incorrect, TurboTax  cannot pass the tax amount to the state tax return. Verify that all boxes (15-17) are in TurboTax correctly.
• If you are using a TurboTax Desktop program, try switching  to Forms Mode by clicking on Forms in the top right corner of your TurboTax screen. On the left side of your TurboTax screen find your Form W-2 and manually verify that the state tax-withheld amount appears on your State Return.
• Delete your W-2, then log out, clear your browser cache, and  log back in. Enter your Form W-2 manually. When you do this, make sure the correct state name is selected from the dropdown menu. Don't type it in.

To delete a Form W-2 if you used TurboTax Online you can:

1. Click on "Tax Tools" in the left panel of your TurboTax screen
2. Select  "Tools"
3. Click on "Delete a Form"
4. Scroll down the list of your forms to find your Form W2
5. Click on the trash can to the right of your form to delete it

To delete a Form W-2 If you used TurboTax Desktop, you can:

1. Click on "Forms" in the top right of your TurboTax screen to switch to "Forms Mode"
2. In your left panel of your TurboTax screen find Form W-2
3. Click on "Delete Form" at the bottom of the form
4. Click on "Yes" to confirm the deletion

To get back to your W-2 screens in TurboTax you can:

1. Click on "Search" in the top right of your TurboTax screen.
2. Type "W-2" in the search bar.
3. Click on the link "Jump to W-2"
4. And select to Type it in Myself

Click here for How do I manually enter my W-2?

If you have additional information or questions regarding this, please return to Community and we would be glad to help.

[riederer]

I have tried all the suggestions and still no luck.  In addition to everything I've listed above, I

- deleted my W-2 form

- cleared the browser cache

- logged off (and let it sit overnight)

- re-entered W-2 form.  Still not importing state tax withheld.  It appears to import everything else since it treats retirement income correctly per the Illinois tax code.

- switched from Microsoft Edge to Googe Chrome and repeated the process, deleting W-2, clearing cache, manually entering.  And still it does not import the state tax withheld.  

I called TT help on the weekend and they referred me to their expert help, but wanted to charge $70 upfront for what I believe to be their issue.  So I declined and am trying all other alternatives first.  Is it time to call back and enlist the expert help?  Can I get my $70 back if it turns out to be their issue?

I appreciate any help anyone can provide.  I've gotten some good suggestions so far but nothing is getting this across the finish line.

Thank you.

Dick

[BillM223 · Accepted solution]

You can manually enter tax payment from your W-2 as if they were estimated tax payments. Although it seems that you already know this, go to Deductions & Credits->Estimates and Other Taxes Paid->Estimates->State estimated taxes for 2025. Divide the amount from your W-2, box 17, by 4 and enter this amount in each quarter. This will approximate how the money is treated for the underpayment of estimated tax. (Really, if you want to be exact, allocate the box 17 dollars by the number of months in each quarter).

Just make sure that at the end, you have not accidentally duplicated the amount of taxes paid to the state.

[SteamTrain]

@riederer 

You should specify which state is involved.

It could be a state-specific problem, and someone with that state needs to check what's happening....but we don't know which state you are using.

[riederer]

Thank you, SteamTrain.

I am trying to fill my Illinois state tax return.  Everything else seems to be ok--property tax credit, IL's handling of retirement income, estimated  tax payments--but the state taxes withheld just doesn't show up.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions!

Dick

[BillM223]

Let us know if the workaround I gave you does not work for you.

[SteamTrain]

@riederer 

I think @TomD8  and @xmasbaby0  use Illinois software

They might be able to check what the current IL software does for transferring IL withholding....though "online vs Desktop (Windows vs MAC) could have different issues.

I know that in some situations...in past years...that deleting the entire State formset, then restarting it....that would re-initiate the data transfer of $$ from Fed to State forms.  Kind of a last resort, but it has worked for many folks.

[riederer]

I have deleted and re-entered the state form multiple times on MS Edge browser.  I just tried with Google Chrome and got the same error.  Out of curiosity I went all the way to the final review on the odd chance that TT would have a check to verify that the withheld state tax was withheld on the state return.  But no.

Then while doing all this I get a text from TT reminding me that taxes are due in a week.

Still hoping for a miracle suggestion.  If I go the "expert help" route, can they edit the forms and force the withheld state amount onto the state return?

[ThomasM125]

You can enter the state tax withheld as estimated payments as mentioned by @BillM223. The state will have a record of what was paid in per your W-2 form so as long as you enter the correct amount of state tax paid in you will get credit for it when your return is processed. For that matter, even if you entered the wrong tax paid in, the state would likely give you credit for it.

[SteamTrain]

@riederer 

The only other thing I could think of to try (yeah, I'd hate to use the Estimated tax method too)....and maybe you've already done this....

Edit the W-2 to take the box 17 $$ down to say $1....work you way out to the menu while watching the state refund meter.  IF that jumps a lot...then it is getting recorded somewhere in the state form, but not in an obvious way.  Then edit it again and put it back where it belongs.

____

Go to the Print Center and print out an actual PDF to look at the actual IL forms separately?

[riederer]

A big "thank you" to all of you who helped resolve the issue -- state tax withheld not imported to state return.  I updated the estimated tax payments per your suggestion and have successfully filed my returns.

This was my first time using the TT community for help, and you guys came through for me (and save me the $70 expert fee in the process).

I still don't know why what happened happened, but I don't need to, and I can handle it if it happens again.

So thank you to 

@BillM223
@LindaS5247
@SteamTrain
@ThomasM125