What does it mean to say "Sch SE-T Max deferral line 18 must be entered"?

[erivas]

Ok, after reading through 11 pages of this error it looks like Turbo Tax is not helping and not resolving this issue, looks like everyone still got the error and they're looking for their own "fixes". Why is the error popping in first place?

I'm still stuck in there as well, deleting the form is not helping, changing the "want more time to pay your self-employment tax" answer to Yes doesn't help because the next prompt I get is "It looks like you're not eligible for this deferral" so I cannot enter any information or change anything at all. But when I review I right away get the error "

Sch SE-S: Max deferral line 18 must be entered.

So my questions to Turbo Tax is what are you doing to help us with this error? Looks like this has been going on for more than 4 weeks? 

I'm using Turbo Tax because it's supposed to be simple to use but this error is not clear enough since I don't even qualify for tax deferral also I'm getting a refund. Entering a "0" is not the solution is just a possible workaround, I don't want to mess up my taxes with the IRS, please help...or where can we go to get the help needed?

[JamesG1]

@Shooshoo

The self-employment tax deferral is an optional benefit.  To qualify for the benefit, you must report a dollar amount as eligible income for the period for income earned for the period of March 27, 2020 through December 31, 2020.

This is a deferral rather than forgiveness, so those amounts will eventually need to be repaid. Half of the deferred amount is due on December 31, 2021, and the other half is due on December 31, 2022.

See also this TurboTax Help.

[JamesG1]

@jimwilly

Congratulaions!

It appears that the self-employment tax deferral is generated at a point when your tax return reflects:

• A balance due, and
• Self-employment tax due.

I suspect that when you removed your estimated taxes, that put your tax return in a balance due status and you were then able to access the self-employment tax deferral questions.

I have had luck temporarily returning the tax return to:  

• Balance due status,
• Self-employment tax due, or
• Both.

Then access the self-employment tax deferral questions.

Finally, then reverse the temporary entries that I put in the tax return.

Your self-employment income may be eligible for a portion of your self-employment tax to be deferred.  See this TurboTax Help.

[kelmcnulty]

There is no view > forms.

[Ickyta83]

I don't understand why it is asking me to fill this out my job closed because of covid 

[JamesG1]

In TurboTax Online Self-Employed, I was able to remove self-employment tax deferral and pass Review.  Follow these steps. 

• Down the left side of the screen, click on Federal.
• Across the top of the screen, click on Deductions  & credits.
• Under Your tax breaks, scroll down to Self-employment tax deferral.
• Click on Edit/Add to the right of Self-employment tax deferral.
• At the screen Do you want more time to pay your self-employment tax?, click Yes.
• At the screen Let's start by getting your eligible income, I have left the dollar amount that was previously entered, others change this amount to $0.
• Click on Continue.
• At the screen Tell us how much you'd like to defer, delete the dollar amount or enter '0'.
• Click Continue.
• Click through Federal Review to make sure than the Review issue has been removed.
• At the screen Some of your self-employment taxes may be eligible, click Skip. 

The self-employment tax deferral is an optional benefit.  It is also a deferral rather than forgiveness, so those amounts will eventually need to be repaid. Half of the deferred amount is due on December 31, 2021, and the other half is due on December 31, 2022.

@erivas

[redsfan66]

@caseyrubin97's solution worked for me. I removed some of my estimated taxes I paid so that I owed money. Went back into the Self-employment tax deferral section, put in my income for Mar-Dec and then put 0 for the amount I wanted to defer. I finished that section and then went back in and added my estimated taxes back in. TurboTax calculated the same refund amount I was owed before I changed anything, so I know everything was still correct.

However, after this happened I got a Line 11 too large error on section 1040/1040SR wks. The amount they had was 0. I took that 0 out and left it blank.. After that, smart check went through with no errors.

[iuness93]

Just follow the instruction that it says there divide and figure the amount from March 27 and December 31 and put this number there, after this go back to your return on the tab "Deductions and Credits" and then to the section that says : Tax Relief related to COVID-19" and under this section you will find "Self - Employment Tax Deferral". This is where you will choose either to defer or not.

[Janmarg]

Indeed.  This answer worked for me.  The line in question is just there to help identify the amount you _could_ defer.  It doesn't mean you have to defer it.  Make the calculation as suggested in this post, enter it in directly to the form, and you're on your way.

[sscygnusx]

OMG so true its super simple not need  delete the form just answer the deduction section

[SandraH]

I'm showing a loss and if I do a negative number, it doesn't work. Any thoughts?

[JamesG1]

The self-employment tax deferral may have been selected unintentionally.  You may need to add temporary income to your self-employment activity to eliminate the loss and allow you to access the self-employment tax deferral questions.

In TurboTax Online Self-Employed, I was able to remove self-employment tax deferral and pass Review.  Follow these steps. 

• Down the left side of the screen, click on Federal.
• Across the top of the screen, click on Deductions  & credits.
• Under Your tax breaks, scroll down to Self-employment tax deferral.
• Click on Edit/Add to the right of Self-employment tax deferral.
• At the screen Do you want more time to pay your self-employment tax?, click Yes.
• At the screen Let's start by getting your eligible income, I have left the dollar amount that was previously entered, others change this amount to $0.
• Click on Continue.
• At the screen Tell us how much you'd like to defer, delete the dollar amount.
• Click Continue.
• Click through Federal Review to make sure than the Review issue has been removed.
• At the screen Some of your self-employment taxes may be eligible, click Skip. 

The self-employment tax deferral is an optional benefit.  It is also a deferral rather than forgiveness, so those amounts will eventually need to be repaid. Half of the deferred amount is due on December 31, 2021, and the other half is due on December 31, 2022.

[BalloonArtist]

I have followed your directions.  The system does go to the review without flagging this SCH SE-T.  I save it and then look at the next day or a few hours later, and it's all back where it began.  I'm at the point of going to a different company, and it will cost me dearly in time and effort.  But it may solve my problem,  and of course, I'd never come back to TT even though I have used it for a decade.  UGH there has to be a solution, not a work-around.

David

[AkinaLO]

Please contact TurboTax support for assistance. Since Community is a public forum, we are limited to what can be shared publicly.

What is the TurboTax phone number?

[moreball]

Same problem, couldn't get rid of it so I deferred some. But guess what, the Feds didn't take the deferral.

I just got my refund. So in the end it works out. I don't have to worry about next year, hopefully.

But shame on TurboTax for not fixing this.  It seems like a easy fix.