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Level 2
posted Mar 7, 2023 3:00:06 PM

TurboTax telling me to mail form 8453 after e-file, but all my asset sales are already in the return.

Hello. Hoping someone can help here.

After (grr) e-filing, TurboTax told me to print and mail form 8453. In the form 8453, it has the final box checked for 8949.

TurboTax just says literally "Print and Mail These Forms to the Government. Even though you e-filed, you're still required to print and mail these forms" -- It doesn't give any information of supplemental forms that need to be attached.

I assume this means it wants me to attach a form 8949 but TurboTax never told me to do that. It just says "print and mail these forms" with no other info and what it has me print is only the 8453 itself. No 8949 form was given to me to print during this step (even though they exist in my return).
The "explain this" link in TurboTax just takes you to the general TT support web page.


I have thousands of asset sales and pages of 8949 forms already in my TurboTax return and I assumed it would e-file them since I can see them in "form view" in TurboTax. I don't think I "summarized" anything in listing my asset sales as far as I know (is there a way to check this?).

Am I actually supposed to print all of it out and mail it OR should I do exactly as TurboTax asks and simply print & mail the form it specifically told me to print and mail (just the 8453)?

If I do actually need to attach the 8949 copies,

do I just print it straight out of TurboTax form view?

This is very confusing I would expect TurboTax to just tell me exactly what I need to print and attach and where to find it.

Thanks in advance for any help.

1 20 5582
20 Replies
Expert Alumni
Mar 7, 2023 3:39:46 PM

In some cases, taxpayers will receive IRS form 8949's from a provider or provider(s).  Taxpayers will enter the information in summary fashion.  

 

The IRS form 8949 is then uploaded as a .pdf and electronically filed or IRS form 8949 is mailed with an IRS form 8453 within three business days of receiving the acknowledgement that the IRS has accepted the electronically filed tax return.

 

If your Federal 1040 tax return has been electronically filed and accepted by the IRS, the IRS will be expecting to receive IRS form 8453.  In your case, the attachment is to be IRS form 8949 or similar documentation.

 

What information did you use to generate IRS form 8949 / Schedule D Capital Gains and Losses information?  Did you receive IRS form 1099-B information from a broker?  Did you receive this information on paper?  Or did you receive it electronically?  Please clarify.

 

If your electronically filed tax return is accepted by the IRS, this is probably the information that should be enclosed with IRS form 8453 and mailed to the IRS.

 

@lowted 

 

 

Level 2
Mar 7, 2023 4:17:34 PM

Thanks @JamesG1. So I think I see what it is, on the 8949 there is this check box "Check here if this summarizes multiple sales":


This appears to be what triggers it.

There is no 1099, this is from a .TXF file import from a Crypto Accounting program.

I do have the itemized 8949 and it's over 200 pages long (literally a 200 page pdf of form 8949, several thousand transactions). I also have the same data in CSV/Excel format which could be printed much smaller.

Please advise how I would proceed here?

Expert Alumni
Mar 7, 2023 4:54:05 PM

Summarized sales  that were reported to the IRS with a basis do not require the 8949. You had sales and the IRS wants more information. Your .csv file may have notations the 1099-B does not have and should be much smaller when printed.

 

The IRS has the 1099-B from the company so I would recommend the .csv file.

 

Level 2
Mar 7, 2023 5:30:54 PM

Hi @AmyC -


@AmyC wrote:

Summarized sales  that were reported to the IRS with a basis do not require the 8949

...

The IRS has the 1099-B from the company so I would recommend the .csv file.


These asset sales were not reported to the IRS and there is no 1099-B associated with them. (aka "Box C" on the 8949). There are too many transactions for TurboTax to import so they are summarized.

Level 2
Mar 7, 2023 6:32:33 PM

Ok so I think this is all figured out. This problem is well summarized in this thread full of users caught in this scenario.  Reading through the comments it becomes clear the user experience that leads to this confusion.

Essentially a normal non-tax-expert user doesn't know the ramifications of summarizing transactions and there is no warning in TurboTax until after e-filing, so people like me and many others that posted in that thread get bit with this. For example, in my case, my TXF import was over the TurboTax import limit so my accounting software summarized the transactions. This is all fine, but the problem is that there is no warning in the software until after you e-file. This means even if you manage to get a working itemized import (splitting imports up) you would need to amend your return!! This is complained about plenty in the above linked thread by several users and seems to be a general "gotcha" that I've also fallen victim too as well. I think Intuit forgets that most people using their software are not tax professionals.

Level 2
Mar 26, 2023 9:23:10 AM

Had the same problem and this worked for me:  Identify the items that have codes associated with them such as wash sales.  Enter everything else as a summary and these items individually.  Nothing then required to send in.  In your case that would mean not importing at all.

 

To check:  Enter the items  to be summarized.  Then check the TurboTax message to see if it says you don't have to provide anything else.  Then enter one of the items with codes with all the details.  Again check to see if the TurboTax message says you don't have to provide anything else to the IRS.  If so, enter the rest of them.

Level 1
Mar 26, 2023 7:31:08 PM

I'm having the same issue and already filed.
What should I do?

 

Level 2
Mar 26, 2023 8:09:45 PM

Don't know the particulars of your case, but it would seem like you have one option of just mailing in the extra paperwork.  What I did use TT to file an amended return.  That resolved everything by itself.

Level 1
Mar 26, 2023 8:20:00 PM

I'm using TT Desktop, and i have about 500+ pages to mail. 

I have to summarize some of my transactions and i have wash sale.

Level 2
Mar 27, 2023 4:52:24 AM

With that many pages you probably have a lot of wash sales.  Might be best to put  together a summary statement instead of entering them individually into TT and filing an amended return.  If your broker provides the information in something besides a pdf file that could be fairly quick to do.  I know you are on a tight clock to resolve this, if you want to keep discussing would probably be best to do it directly.  

Level 1
Mar 27, 2023 6:23:07 AM

i had to do a summarize version because the import failed.

Do I have to print out the whole pdf and mail it to the IRS?

Expert Alumni
Mar 27, 2023 6:24:20 AM

You can mail the pages as indicated, with Form 8453.  If not, and you choose to amend, then be sure your wash sales are separately stated (this should have been done on your original return).  Below are the wash sale rules and instructions on how to amend your return.

 

Wash sales cannot be combined into section totals.  They should be entered individually so that you can track your cost basis and know when you are allowed to use the information on a final sale.

 

Wash Sale Rule Defined:

  • A wash sale occurs when an investor sells or trades a security at a loss, and within 30 days before or after, buys another one that is substantially similar.
  • It also happens if the individual sells the security at a loss, and their spouse or a company they control buys a substantially similar security within 30 days.
  • The wash-sale rule prevents taxpayers from deducting a capital loss on the sale against the capital gain.

Affect on Cost Basis:

  • The loss that occurs on a wash sale is added to the cost basis of the shares purchased that created the wash sale.
  • When all shares are sold and there is no repurchase, that increased cost basis will be used in full and used to determine gain or loss.

As long as you are tracking the wash sales and are not using them on the tax return when you are not allowed, then you can simply enter the same cost basis as the selling price. This will  reconcile your tax return with your Form 1099-B Proceeds which is what the IRS is comparing.

 

Be sure to keep good records so that you know when to add those losses for future sales. 

 

The wash sale disallowed is not added to the net gain/loss rather it is adjusted and suspended so that it does not affect the total gain or loss for any pending wash sales.  The rub is that the broker only knows when a wash sale occurs, not when a wash sale no longer exists. This can spill over between two tax years.  Likewise you can have a wash sale during a tax year, and then fully dispose of the stock in the same year which would eliminate the wash sale rule for the final sale of the same stock. 

 

It's up to you to know when you no longer have to consider the wash sale rule. 

 

Example

X bought 5 shares of ZZZ stock, at $5 per share, then sold it for $3 per share, however immediately before the original 3 shares were sold, X bought another 5 shares at $5.00 per share.  

     $25 for the first block of shares

       15 is the proceeds creating a $10 loss 

The $10 loss is now added to the cost of the new shares for an overall cost basis of $35.  

 

Once the second block of shares is sold (5 shares with cost basis of $30) without any repurchase with in the 60 day window (30 days before or 30 days after the sale), and if they are sold at a loss, then no wash sale exists on the sale, and a loss is allowed.

 

You do not have to enter individual transactions, you can combine the wash sales into one entry, once you decide the transactions that are still open. Then include your statement with the detail.

@aznkk82 

Level 2
Mar 27, 2023 6:57:40 AM

The summary I was thinking of would have 3  components: (1) the sum of all the short-term trades that did not have wash sale components,  (2) each of the short-term trades individually that had wash sale components and (3) the sum of all the long-term trades.  This should match up with the summary information that was originally filed with TT.  Should be a lot less than 500 pages.  If the broker gives you the information in something that can be imported into a spreadsheet, that should not be a huge task - the wash sale trades should be marked with a code.  If it is only in pdf  format, sometimes that converts to a spreadsheet in a workable fashion.

Level 1
Mar 27, 2023 8:36:46 AM

Or can i just print out the full 1099B instead of figuring out the wash sale?

Expert Alumni
Mar 27, 2023 8:59:29 AM

You can enter this info in the investment section of TurboTax. Select the product you’re using for the right instructions.

You'll need TurboTax Premium or any TurboTax CD/Download product to add any 1099-B forms.

 

TurboTax Online

You can enter wash sale info in the investment section of TurboTax manually.  Select the product you’re using for the right instructions.

 

You'll need TurboTax Premium or any TurboTax CD/Download product to add any 1099-B forms.

 

  1. Open or continue your return in TurboTax and search for wash sales
  2. Select the Jump to link at the top of the search results
  3. Answer Yes to Did you have investment income in 2022?
    • If you land on Your investment sales summary, select Add more sales
  4. On the OK, let's start with one investment type screen, select Stock, Bonds, Mutual Funds. Then select Continue
  5. From here, you can import or manually enter your 1099-B
  6. Answer the questions about your sales. Choose to enter sales One by one when asked
  7. On the Now, enter one sale on your 1099-B screen, enter your info. Check I have other boxes on my 1099-B to enter and enter the disallowed wash sale loss in box 1g

For TurboTax CD/Download:

  1. Open or continue your return in TurboTax and search for wash sales.
  2. Select the Jump to link at the top of the search results.
  3. Answer Yes to Did you sell any investments in 2022?
    • If you land on Here's all the investment accounts we have so far, select Add more sales
  4. Answer Yes to Did you get a 1099-B or brokerage statement for these sales?
  5. From here, you can import or manually enter your 1099-B
  6. Answer the questions about your sales. Choose I'll enter one sale at a time when asked
  7. When prompted, enter the info from your 1099-B
  8. On the next screen, enter the disallowed wash sale loss in box 1g
  9. Select Continue and answer any follow-up questions

 

Review the link below for more information:

 

How to enter Wash Sale 

 

Wash Sale Rules

 

@aznkk82 

Level 1
Mar 27, 2023 9:48:02 AM

I did that on the TT Desktop, manually adding the wash. Because the file was too big to import.

So I'm guessing IRS wants the 1099B from this summarize.

Level 2
Mar 27, 2023 10:19:05 AM

If yours is like mine, the only problem is the transactions that were flagged as wash sales.  Everything else works as just a summary of all the transactions.  There may be other transactions flagged for other reasons, but I'm guessing it is all wash sales.  If you enter them in TT one-by-one, it will take a lot of time to do, but it is possible.  However, if you do that, then the transactions that were not wash sales need to be summarized separately so when everything is added together it matches the totals that you said were already summarized in TT.  500 pages is a lot to print and mail.  Do you have other options from your broker in addition  to the pdf file - that's the easiest way?  Messages back and forth are eating into your window to resolve this - I think the TT instructions said three days after the return was accepted.  If we can talk offline it might be helpful to you.

Level 1
Mar 27, 2023 10:26:47 AM

i think printing it out would be faster then doing an amend and entering line by line.

What do you mean by talking offline?

Level 2
Mar 27, 2023 10:30:46 AM

email address and then use that to get phone number.  If you feel comfortable printing and sending all of those pages, then you have an answer to your problem.

Expert Alumni
Mar 27, 2023 12:44:34 PM

If you received a request to submit Form 8453 (U.S. Individual Income Tax Transmittal for an IRS e-file Return), you need to mail some forms to the IRS that can't be e-filed.

TurboTax creates Form 8453 for you, and it serves as a cover page for your additional documentation.

 

Mail Form 8453 to the IRS within three business days after you’ve received your acknowledgment that the IRS has accepted your return to this address:

Internal Revenue Service

Attn: Shipping and Receiving, 0254

Receipt and Control Branch

Austin, TX 73344-0254

 

How to Mail Form 8453? See the link below:

 

Mailing Form 8453

 

@aznkk82