TurboTax won't believe me...won't let me e-file

[indyuser]

TurboTax won't let me e-file because it doesn't consider my 1099-DIV Payer's Federal ID Number to be valid.  I'm entering exactly what the form says and it hasn't changed in the past 5 years.  So why is it blocking me now? This is a lot to pay for buggy software!

[JillS56]

The number is not matching with the IRS database.   Double-check the 1099-DIV to make sure the EIN is correct and that some numbers did not get checked.   The IRS does not like the number.   If there is a way to contact the entity that issued the 1099-DIV you might want to call to verify.

[indyuser]

Nice try, but this is not an issue of the IRS "not liking the number".   That would only be an issue once submitted to the IRS and it's not getting that far.  Your system is only checking for "a valid FEIN" format, which your developers have determined to mean it can't be all zeros.    This is an issue with the inflexibility of the system.  I was able to find instances of people complaining about the same thing last year.  

Turns out the correct answer is "if your form has a FEIN of all zeros, delete them all.  TurboTax will recognize it isn't a required field".  Unfortunately, I discovered this too late and now the software won't let me fix and e-file because it thinks I already mailed it in.

[HeatherPLO]

@indyuser

 Unfortunately, I discovered this too late and now the software won't let me fix and e-file because it thinks I already mailed it in.

You can change File by Mail back to e-File by following the steps here in the Help Article.