Why is Turbotax telling me I get 0$ for the personal charger install credit (form 8911) when it should be 341$ based on install cost? Form is working correctly.

[Vanessa A]

 If you do not have a tax liability of $341 or more (or the calculated credit which can be up to $1,000), then the credit will be reduced as it is a nonrefundable credit.  This means, if you were already getting a full refund of everything you paid in, you would not be eligible for the credit. 

You can see your tax liability on line 16.  You may also have other non refundable credits that already reduced your tax liability.  

TO see your 1040 select the following:  Tools>>Tax Tools>>View Tax Summary>>Preview My 1040

[m-dowling88]

I have over 20k in taxes remaining after taking into account credits. I assure you the liability is there. 

[ThomasM125]

It could be that your tentative minimum tax is more than your regular income tax and that is limiting your credit for the charger. You can look on Form 8911, lines 16 to 18 to see this.

Here is a link to the form:  Form 8911

[m-dowling88]

It was the tentative tax! Bummer I’m missing out on this credit, but glad to have an answer. Thanks @ThomasM125 

@TurboTax, might be useful to provide an explanation when this shows as 0$. Really hard to figure this out. With all the EVs being bought due to the latest legislation, I’d assume others are going to run into this problem en masse. Just a thought!! 

[ptmcphee575]

I also am getting $0, though I don't have a tentative minimum tax and have sufficient taxes due. I have done form 8911 manually, and I'm 99% sure I'm due a credit of about $500. I really just get the impression that the turbotax form isn't working correctly. I was on with a rep for 45 minutes and she didn't understand what was going on. I'm very frustrated as I can't submit my taxes (indefinitely?) with Turbotax but I've been using it for 10 years and would prefer not to have to switch to a new service and start from scratch...

[m-dowling88]

Did you fill out form 6521? That’s where your tentative tax would be calculated. I was on the phone with a rep who was able to show me my current tax forms and underlying data. I also was able to go to the Other Tax situations tab in the Software, click alternative minimum tax, where it showed me my tentative tax amount. Due to getting the 7500$ EV credit as well as some child deductions… the tentative tax threshold on form 5911 was being crossed, thus excluding me from the credit, even though I’m still paying thousands in taxes. 

[ptmcphee575]

OK, thank you. I may be misunderstanding the TMT, and it's difficult to reference IRS form lines in TurboTax. I'll call them and ask them to look at that. I am also doing the EV credit and have 2 kids, etc. etc. Many thanks!

[m-dowling88]

Yeah! That’s very very similar to me. I have 2 kids as well. It’s a bummer to be honest. I asked TurboTax to improve their software to show why people aren’t getting the credit… because I was CONVINCED I was owed one. I spent hours researching and on the phone until I got a tech who actually helped and walked me through the forms. Then did some research. And actually got back to me like an hour later after confirming. The tip to go look at the alternative minimum tax form in TurboTax was the true answer. On that page in TurboTax it shows tentative tax. And when I plugged that into 5911, it all made sense why I got 0.

[ptmcphee575]

OK, I'll be honest I don't really understand what the Tentative Minimum Tax is but that was enough to make me ineligible for the EV charger install credit. Essentially, the EV purchase tax credit ($7500) plus the 2 child credits put me over the limit. So, basically there 8911 form establishes a maximum of tax credits that you can take in a given year before this one goes to zero. Thank you for the help on this. And agreed - a better TurboTax description of the reason it was zero would have saved me several hours of digging into this. 

[AnnetteB6]

To help you understand, the Tentative Minimum Tax that often is the cause for disallowing the Form 8911 credit is the Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT) which is calculated in parallel with the 'traditional' income tax calculation.  When your return is complete, it will be determined whether you are required to be subject to AMT or not.  Even though you may not be subject to AMT, if your tentative AMT tax is greater than your net regular tax, then Form 8911 credit is disallowed.

Additionally, Form 8911 does not limit the total credits that you can claim.  Your income tax liability does that.  Credits are claimed in a particular order and if the credits that are picked up prior to Form 8911 credit take away all of your income tax liability, then Form 8911 credit is not claimed.

@ptmcphee575

[jgregory0823]

Line 15B on Form 8911gets populated from Form 1040, 1040-SR, or 1040-NR, line 19, and Schedule 3 (Form 1040), lines 2 through 5, and 7 (reduced by any general business credit reported on line 6a, any credit for prior year minimum tax reported on line 6b, or any credit to holders of tax credit bonds reported on line 6k).  The $7.5k EV credit is line 6F so that should not count against the Tentative Minimum Tax right?  Is it possible to see what turbotax is counting as my TMT as I came up with a number that should still make me eligible for Form 8911.  Thanks.

[AmyC]

1. It counts.  The EV credit is Sch 3 line 7 - a total of 6a-6z. 

I am assuming you have form 8396 and line 23 is $7500. In my fake return, I have childcare credit and added $7500 EV credit. They both show up on line 15b.

2. You definitely need to be looking at your forms to follow this. If you haven't yet, you need to go ahead and pay for the return so you can see the actual forms. Since prices go up through the season, it is a good idea to go ahead and pay anyway.

To do this:

1. look on the left sidebar, 
2. select tools
3. select print center
4. select pay now
5. Select Print, save or preview this year's return

Reference: 8911 instructions

[joel1]

This was very unclear to me when getting a charger installed.  It looks to me like if you take the $7500 EV credit, you won't get a 30% credit for the home charger install in the same year unless you make just under the max joint income and don't have hardly any other credits.

I was expecting the $600 back on my taxes that won't happen now.