Why is my 1040-SR page 1 "Check here if your main home, and your spouse’s if filing a joint return, was in the U.S. for more than half of 2025" box not checked?

[JohnB5677]

The checkbox on the 1040 and 1040-SR for your home being in the United States is specifically for the Earned Income Tax Credit.

• The box can only be checked if you qualify for the Earned Income Credit.
• There are significant age, income and‌ child requirements.
• If the box is not checked, it will not affect your tax return.

This is located in a strange place.  The IRS may change it, but it probably won't occur  this year.

See IRS guidance on The EIC related changes to the 1040 

[rjd]

Thank you for explaining why the box is not being checked.  I had indeed revisited all of my personal information, address information, and state information entry screens; and am not eligible to run the EIC questionnaire.  

For a TurboTax Online customer who is concerned about the "Under penalties of perjury, I declare that I have examined this return and accompanying schedules and statements, and to the best of my knowledge and belief, they are true, correct, and complete." part, are there any methods, means, or options to get this box checked?

[JohnB5677]

Possibly, If you go to:

1. Deductions & Credits
2. Scroll to You and Your Family [Click the arrow on the right]
3. Select Earned Income Credit (EIC) [Start] or [Revisit]
4. Continue interview to Did XXX and XXX live in the U.S. for more than six months in 2025?
5. Click [Yes]
6. Complete the interview

If you can go through those steps, the box should now be checked.

If not, there's no other way to check it.

[rjd]

Thank you for this suggestion.  When I attempt to run the EIC intake questionnaire, I am immediately told “It looks like you don't qualify” before I can make any entries.  The explanation is income over the threshold.

If this is indeed the only way to check the 1040 "main home in the U.S. for more than half of 2025" box, then it is unfortunate that TurboTax does not allow me to run through the EIC intake questionnaire far enough to answer the one key question necessary to complete the 1040 accurately.

[VolvoGirl]

That box only needs to be checked IF you qualify for the EIC credit.  Everyone including me that filed without it checked has been able to file and I've gotten my refund.   Most seniors are retired and don't  have wages so we don't qualify for the EIC.  

[mykohsu]

No, that seems to be incorrect. 

If it is not checked, your tax transcript will say

Main Home In US: No

[VolvoGirl]

UPDATE,  I hear they recently updated the program to check that box.   I haven't checked my desktop program yet.