DQOTD: Why Does TurboTax Display Every Form I've Ever Used?

[Midpack]

When I go to forms mode, it appears every form I've ever used is listed, even though there are no entries. For example, 2106 Employee Business Expenses, 2555 Foreign Earned Income x 2, 8801 Credit for Prior Year Minimum Tax - Trusts, 8889 HSAs, etc. None of them have applied for at least 4 years (wasn't just applicable last year). I know how to delete them, but I'd hate to do so and find out there's some legal/tax code reason TT keeps showing them? I've searched online, and the Intuit site, but found nothing...

 

[Sunset]

I haven't used TT in a long time.

Are they just showing in case you would use them ? , meaning if you print a pdf of your return they don't print.

H&R has a window to show all the forms, and it shows all, with the ones I've used as bold, it's just there in case I want to jump to a specific form to fill out. I've used this feature in the the past.

 

[Gryphon]

Are you talking about the online TurboTax or the desktop software?

I've never used the online TurboTax, just the desktop. When I import the previous year's tax return, it starts out assuming things will be the same as the previous year but once I start making changes it adjusts accordingly. I've never had a problem with it carrying forward forms that are no longer needed once I'm done updating it with this year's info.

 

[Midpack]

I use the desktop version. I guess I’m just surprised it lists every Fed form I’ve ever used in the drop-down even those that haven’t applied for MANY years. You’d think it would be smart enough to pare the list to those applicable each year?*** I am sure if I need to add a form, TT will do so.

Since I’m not sure if there’s some good reason, I think I’ll delete all the superfluous forms after I’ve filed, in the hope that it won’t do it again next year.

*** I don’t print, but when I save my final PDF, if does not include any unnecessary forms, so TT could easily update the drop-down…

 

[Gryphon]

Now that you mention it, there are one or two forms on that list I haven't used in several years, like 8889. I guess I never noticed because there were only a couple and it didn't actually print them as part of the return.

 

[jazz4cash]

Is it just every form you’ve ever used? I think it only knows this year and last if you import prior year return. I’m pretty sure it’s EVERY form (with some exceptions reserved for higher tiers of the program). It certainly looks that way to me. I usually use HRB deluxe but I tried TT two years ago. Also there are dozens of worksheets.

 

[Gryphon]

I think it only knows this year and last if you import prior year return.

If you keep importing the previous year's return every year it knows more than just last year. I've got at least one worksheet in my 2022 TurboTax file - the Tax History Report - that goes back as far as 2018.

 

[MichaelB]

I use TT desktop and it does the same to me. One year I had a K-1, and ever since it not only asks for this years K-1 data, when it goes through the review process it calls out the lack of K-1 data as an error, and there’s no way to turn it off. It’s a PITA.

I think it’s laziness on the part of the programming. It wouldn’t surprise me if this is also seen as a way for Intuit to minimize liability for any error in the return.

 

[Sunset]

I use TT desktop and it does the same to me. One year I had a K-1, and ever since it not only asks for this years K-1 data, when it goes through the review process it calls out the lack of K-1 data as an error, and there’s no way to turn it off. It’s a PITA.

I think it’s laziness on the part of the programming. It wouldn’t surprise me if this is also seen as a way for Intuit to minimize liability for any error in the return.

Knowing Intuit, maybe they can provide this service for a small upgrade charge

 

[audreyh1]

Lots of forms listed for us too.

It might make sense if it’s any form you’ve ever used.

 

[pb4uski]

I usually just delete any forms that I no longer use.

 

[target2019]

Some forms can be checkmarked, like: Do not transfer this W-2 to next year.

It's a time saver to bring over most forms to the next year.

Just after I import last year's stuff, I capture the list of forms, and print that out as a checklist.

 

[Richard4444]

Seems like an obvious answer, but I don't know because this is new to me. I do my DGF's simple taxes on H&R Block, but I have a CPA do mine. If I use TT, I have IRA RMD, a side business (Schedule C,), annuities, CDs, and Morgan Stanley mostly. Can I just enter my Morgan Stanley username and pw and let TT do what it needs to? I'm finally considering leaving CPA; nice guy but $675.00.
Thanks!
Rich

 

[PaunchyPirate]

Seems like an obvious answer, but I don't know because this is new to me. I do my DGF's simple taxes on H&R Block, but I have a CPA do mine. If I use TT, I have IRA RMD, a side business (Schedule C,), annuities, CDs, and Morgan Stanley mostly. Can I just enter my Morgan Stanley username and pw and let TT do what it needs to? I'm finally considering leaving CPA; nice guy but $675.00.
Thanks!
Rich

Any tax software that you use yourself will likely import your Morgan Stanley tax data. It may or may not require your username/password. Some of the brokers issue a unique Document Number to use when importing so you don't compromise your username/password. That number would be on a tax form you would download from the broker website.

Also, it likely isn't as simple as "let TT do what it needs to do". After an import of broker data, you want to manually confirm it all matches what you see on the PDF file tax forms you also download. You may need to enter cost data that didn't import, for example. In other words, "trust, but verify" any data imported.

A common suggestion is for you to continue to use the CPA this year, but also do your own version of the taxes using your own software. Then compare the two. If you got the same numbers, you're probably good to go on your own next year.

 

[Midpack]

Since I’m not sure if there’s some good reason, I think I’ll delete all the superfluous forms after I’ve filed, in the hope that it won’t do it again next year.

This is what I've done, OK so far. Won't know if that will eliminate unnecessary forms next year until then, but I would think so.

 

[COcheesehead]

In the online version they ask you if you want to add/edit/delete a form used in prior years, but not in the current year.