Will not let us efile federal form. Qualified dividends equal ordinary dividends. This is what is on the 1099-div form. How do we file?

[LindaS5247]

If you are unable to e-file your return due to an error that "qualified dividends equal ordinary dividends" you could try deleting your Form 1099-DIV and re-enter it.

1. Click on "Search" at the upper right of your screen.
2. Enter "1099-DIV"
3. Select "Jump to 1099-div"
4. Answer "Yes" to "Did you have investment income in 2024?"
5. Select "Skip Import" on the screen that asks "Let Us Enter Your Bank and Brokerage Tax Documents"
6. Select the box that says "Dividends 1099-Div" (the box will turn green with a checkmark on it)
7. And "Continue"
8. Enter your 1099-DIV information and select "Continue" or to delete your For 1099-DIV, select the garbage can icon next to the Form 1099-DIV that you want to delete.

You can also try logging out of the program, and clearing your cache and cookies.  Please click here for instructions on how to clear your cache. Please click here for instructions on clearing your cookies.

You may also try using another browser.

Dividends can be classified either as ordinary or qualified.  Ordinary dividends are taxed as ordinary income. Qualified dividends are taxed at lower rates to encourage companies to share a portion of profits with shareholders. 

Box 1a shows your total ordinary dividends. Qualified dividends are in 1099Div box 1b. Box 1b reports the portion of box 1a that is considered to be qualified dividends. If all of your dividends are qualified, than the two boxes may have the same number.

If you believe there is an error on your Form 1099-DIV, you should ask the issuer of your form to issue a corrected one.

Click here for "Where Do I Enter Form 1099-DIV in TurboTax Online?"

Click here for Dividends and Taxes: An Intro Guide 

[TheQuigleys]

Thanks for the reply!

It seems we got this entered under "TurboTax Online". We actually are using desktop TurboTax Deluxe on Windows.

Would the same basic steps apply?

I can try it, but the Qualified Dividends genuinely are equal to the Ordinary Dividends. We've owned the same stocks for years. (We take the dividends and invest them in our Roth IRAs rather than reinvest them in the stock).

[ThomasM125]

I'm not sure why you are getting that error message. A work-around solution would be to enter the qualified dividends as one dollar less than the ordinary dividends.

In the desktop version of TurboTax a simple way to delete the 1099-DIV entry would be to use the Forms menu option to retrieve the Form 1099-DIV. You will see an option to delete the form at the bottom of the screen.

[TheQuigleys · Accepted solution]

Thanks. After I replied to your previous message, I went into the forme option and found that the ordinary dividends had imported incorrectly--they we're 10¢ short. It rounds to the same amount on the return so we couldn't see it there. That and the error message simply states something to the effect, "Ordinary dividends equal qualified dividends."

I corrected the Ordinary dividends on the 1099-DIV and we were able to submit the return using e-file. The return has been accepted so we're done for the year.

Thanks for your help!