Why did Turbotax calculate a $1200 refund when I received both stimulus payments. Entered combined amount and received one in 2020 and one in 2021?

Are you able to view line 30 of your 2020 Federal income tax return to see that the Rebate Recovery Credit (RRC) of $1,200 has been computed?  If not, you can review the 1040 in TurboTax Online by following these directions. 

• Down the left side of the screen, click on Tax Tools.
• Click on Tools.
• Under Other helpful links, click on View Tax Summary.
• Down the left side of the screen, click on Preview My 1040 to see the actual tax return that you prepared.
• Down the left side of the screen, click Back to return.

The TurboTax software adds together the entries that you made for receiving stimulus check 1 and stimulus check 2.

 

Then the software computes the amount of your stimulus check amounts based upon the information that has been entered into the tax software. 

 

If you are due an additional amount, it will be issued as a Rebate Recovery Credit (RRC) on line 30 of the 2020 1040 tax return.

 

If you believe that the Rebate Recovery Credit (RRC) on line 30 of the 2020 1040 tax return is not correct, then you should: 

• Check the amounts entered for stimulus check 1 and stimulus check 2, and
• Make sure that you have correctly entered your dependent information. 

If there is a difference, it is in one or both of these situations. 

 

In TurboTax Online, you are prompted to input stimulus check 1 and stimulus check 2 information under Review down the left hand side of the screen.

 

You can also access your stimulus check choices by following these steps:

 

 Down the left side of the screen, click on Federal.

• Across the top of the screen, click on Other Tax Situations.
• At the screen Let’s keep going to wrap up.  Click on Let’s keep going.
• At the screen Let’s make sure you got the right stimulus amount, click Continue.
• At the screen Did you get a stimulus payment? you can update your stimulus check entries.

 See also this TurboTax Help.

My wife and I received the first check in May for $2,334.65, but I did not get a second stimulus check. My wife passed away in late January of 2020. Since she did receive income before passing, I am filing 'Married filing Jointly' as surviving spouse. I would assume that I would only be eligible for $600 second Stimulus, but my wife should not be getting a credit. I hesitate to file my return Friday, February 12, 2021 until I get this answered. If I did file as is, would I be delayed in getting my refund?

I can see Line 30, and it shows $1265. I have double checked the check entries, and they are correct. I assume that the $1234.68 I received for the first stimulus is correct because the AGI was over the cutoff, therefore we received slightly less - $65). What I question now is the remaining $1200, which if there were only one of us living at the time, I assume that only $600 would be due to me.

TurboTax is correct. For persons passing away in 2020, the stimulus payment can still be received.

 

Here is the backup for this: 

• The Eligibility Section posted here: Questions and Answers about the Second Economic Impact Payment 
• Run through  the Rebate Recovery Worksheet for Form 1040, Line 30.

 

You may wish to review this resource for more tax guidance about your situation: Death in the Family.

For full details, see IRS Resource: 2020 Publication 559: Survivors, Executors, and Administrators

 

Our condolences for your loss.

@wsawyer1

 

No, not according the instructions currently in the instructions.  This is from the Form 1040 Instructions, page 57 (printed below for your convenience).

 

Generally, you are eligible to claim the recovery rebate credit if in 2020 you were a U.S. citizen or U.S. resident alien, weren't a dependent of another taxpayer, and have a valid social security number. This includes someone who died in 2020, if you are preparing a return for that person. Use the Recovery Rebate Credit Worksheet to figure the credit, if any, you can claim. For more information on the recovery rebate credit click the hyperlink.

 

You can be confident to enter the correct information in TurboTax Online in exactly the amounts you received and the correct filing status.

At this time, there is no further instruction.

For deceased individuals see the second question under Eligibility. If they died in 2020 they still get it.
https://www.irs.gov/coronavirus/second-eip-faqs

 

Thank you for the response and clarification, KathrynG3!

Thank you very much for the clarification, DianeW777.

Thank you so very much, VolvoGirl!