Crappy TaxCut form filling (never enter zeros!)

[jgombos]

What is the name of your state? federal

Back when I did my tax manually, I was given the direction to enter zeros in fields that don't apply, because it makes it clear that the field was not overlooked. It makes sense, and I believe that was good advice.

However, now when I use TaxCut, the same convention causes problems. I entered zeros for fields that should be zero. One anomaly that results is TaxCut then fills in enumeration fields that are dependent on numerical fields, even when the number is a zero. This results in errors during the taxcut error check, forcing me to enumerate a pull-down selection on non-applicable fields. TaxCut will even attach entire forms that are not applicable, because it does not know when to treat a zero as N/A. Taxcut also leaves fields blank if the interview did not need to touch on a topic. This causes an ugly mix of blank fields and zeros, which gives the false appearance that the form is incomplete.

Okay, so I learned my lesson. Never enter a zero in Taxcut. TaxCut tech support told me to go back through the interview process, revisit every question, and change the zeros to blanks. They said this would clear all the zeros so fields are either non-zero, or blank. Well it didn't work. It cleared some of the zeros, but there are still many residual.

Should I submit these forms as they are? Or should I click the override box for every zero, and forcefully make the field blank?

 

[LdiJ]

What is the name of your state? federal

Back when I did my tax manually, I was given the direction to enter zeros in fields that don't apply, because it makes it clear that the field was not overlooked. It makes sense, and I believe that was good advice.

However, now when I use TaxCut, the same convention causes problems. I entered zeros for fields that should be zero. One anomaly that results is TaxCut then fills in enumeration fields that are dependent on numerical fields, even when the number is a zero. This results in errors during the taxcut error check, forcing me to enumerate a pull-down selection on non-applicable fields. TaxCut will even attach entire forms that are not applicable, because it does not know when to treat a zero as N/A. Taxcut also leaves fields blank if the interview did not need to touch on a topic. This causes an ugly mix of blank fields and zeros, which gives the false appearance that the form is incomplete.

Okay, so I learned my lesson. Never enter a zero in Taxcut. TaxCut tech support told me to go back through the interview process, revisit every question, and change the zeros to blanks. They said this would clear all the zeros so fields are either non-zero, or blank. Well it didn't work. It cleared some of the zeros, but there are still many residual.

Should I submit these forms as they are? Or should I click the override box for every zero, and forcefully make the field blank?

You might want to just give up on taxcut entirely, and redo your return on another online site. Sometimes fixing that big of an error is more difficult and time consuming than just starting over.

Just remember not to do that on ANY software.

 

[jgombos]

You might want to just give up on taxcut entirely, and redo your return on another online site. Sometimes fixing that big of an error is more difficult and time consuming than just starting over.

Thanks for the tip. I decided to take the path of least effort.. that is, submit my return as-is, with a mix of zeros and blanks.. at the risk that it could trigger an audit. I have no idea how likely that is. It's a paper return, so I suppose there's a chance that the data entry person simply ignores the zeros, which would make the electronic copy more consistent.

Just remember not to do that on ANY software.

Yeah, I will not enter zeros again. However, well written tax software is going to treat zeros as N/A, so it's feasible that entering zeros wouldn't cause problems with other packages.

 

[Zigner]

If you PRINTED the form, why couldn't you just add zeros to the lines that need zeros? (by hand)

 

[xylene]

Back when I did my tax manually, I was given the direction to enter zeros in fields that don't apply, because it makes it clear that the field was not overlooked. It makes sense, and I believe that was good advice.

Where did your get this direction from?

It doesn't appear in the 1040 instruction form.

 

[Zigner]

Where did your get this direction from?

It doesn't appear in the 1040 instruction form.

I was taught the same thing...I was actually taught that about any form. You put a dash, or n/a, or something in order to show that you didn't just "miss" that spot.

 

[xylene]

I was taught the same thing...I was actually taught that about any form. You put a dash, or n/a, or something in order to show that you didn't just "miss" that spot.

I am not debating the logic of marking each line. (but I could)

The point being the poster used the word 'direction'.

It is not called for in the IRS 1040 instruction so I doubt the poster has a claim that the tax software is 'doing it wrong' but simply doesn't like the user interface.

I also wholeheartedly disagree with the posters assertion

However, well written tax software is going to treat zeros as N/A

Of the top of my head I could think of at least 3 major tax line item on the 1040 where you would not want ZERO conflated to mean Not Applicable.

I wholeheartedly AGREE that many tax softwares have shortcomings.

I am very skeptical of the posters underlying thesis. I am confident that so long as the 1040 instructions are followed, and no fact or computational errors result, that using any style or method that is neither prescribed nor forbidden for handling unused lines has but an infinitesimal, trivial bearing on audit risk.

 

[jgombos]

I am not debating the logic of marking each line. (but I could)

The point being the poster used the word 'direction'.

It is not called for in the IRS 1040 instruction

It was a long time ago that I recall getting that direction. It could have been in the booklet for the 1040 or 1040 EZ ~10 years ago, or I might have read it on a state form (perhaps state of CA).

so I doubt the poster has a claim that the tax software is 'doing it wrong' but simply doesn't like the user interface.

The user interface is quite fine. The bug occurs internally, when generating the output.

 

[jgombos]

If you PRINTED the form, why couldn't you just add zeros to the lines that need zeros? (by hand)

Good suggestion.. I'm so anal about typed forms that it didn't even occur to me. That's the quickest.. so it's what I ended up doing.

It later occurred to me that I could have printed to PDF, then added the zeros as PDF annotations. It would have been nearly as quick as handwriting. Oh well.

I appreciate the help folks.

 

[LdiJ]

It was a long time ago that I recall getting that direction. It could have been in the booklet for the 1040 or 1040 EZ ~10 years ago, or I might have read it on a state form (perhaps state of CA).

The user interface is quite fine. The bug occurs internally, when generating the output.

Just for the record, I have been a tax professional for more than 20 years, and I honestly can recall no time when it was recommended that zero be put on any line that might be left blank.

 

[jgombos]

Just for the record, I have been a tax professional for more than 20 years, and I honestly can recall no time when it was recommended that zero be put on any line that might be left blank.

It was so long ago that I read it. It just occurred to me that I may be confusing FAFSA directions w/ taxes. I was also filing FAFSA forms back when I adopted the practice of leaving no blanks, and indeed that direction is given to FAFSA applicants.