Claiming credit of EVSE using Turbo Tax

[malloryk]

What happened to TT "knows everything".

pssh, TT was not helpful at all this year. And they raised the price $20!

 

[TimeHorse]

Okay, folks. I'm still waiting on some other info and Itemized Deductions don't start processing just yet anyway so I'm not yet sweating but it seems to me best if we all do what I just did and kindly explain to the folks at TT that they missed the boat on the "Alternative Fuel Tax Credit" because it goes hand-in-hand with Electric Vehicles and we know in the year of the LEAF and the Volt that the EVSE is a very common deduction this year. I think it's simply a problem of TT not knowing that "Alternative Fuel Tax Credit" is the official name for the EVSE Tax Credit and is an integral part of the electric vehicle and plug-in hybrid buying process. They probably though it had everything to do with installing a Methane Hookup, which isn't common. But we know EVSE is!

So please visit Contact Us and select "Preparing My Return" and then "Deductions and Credits Issues" and then click "Call Us". There you can enter your question: Form 8911 is missing and I need that because I bought an electric vehicle and installed the corresponding service equipment in my home commonly know as EVSE which is filed with this form; you name, e-mail and phone number. Call the 800 number you're presented with, type in your code. Enjoy your chat with India and explain that you need to escalate the issue because you want to let them know you need this form and that, contrary to their assumptions, a lot of people are going to need this form for 2010. They'll put your name and e-mail on a list so the more requests they get the more likely they are to add it.

Okay, that's here; now to repeat this message on the blog, on Facebook, on Twitter, in the EVA/DC group...

 

[malloryk]

Okay, folks. I'm still waiting on some other info and Itemized Deductions don't start processing just yet anyway so I'm not yet sweating but it seems to me best if we all do what I just did and kindly explain to the folks at TT that they missed the boat on the "Alternative Fuel Tax Credit" because it goes hand-in-hand with Electric Vehicles and we know in the year of the LEAF and the Volt that the EVSE is a very common deduction this year. I think it's simply a problem of TT not knowing that "Alternative Fuel Tax Credit" is the official name for the EVSE Tax Credit and is an integral part of the electric vehicle and plug-in hybrid buying process. They probably though it had everything to do with installing a Methane Hookup, which isn't common. But we know EVSE is!

So please visit Contact Us and select "Preparing My Return" and then "Deductions and Credits Issues" and then click "Call Us". There you can enter your question: Form 8911 is missing and I need that because I bought an electric vehicle and installed the corresponding service equipment in my home commonly know as EVSE which is filed with this form; you name, e-mail and phone number. Call the 800 number you're presented with, type in your code. Enjoy your chat with India and explain that you need to escalate the issue because you want to let them know you need this form and that, contrary to their assumptions, a lot of people are going to need this form for 2010. They'll put your name and e-mail on a list so the more requests they get the more likely they are to add it.

Okay, that's here; now to repeat this message on the blog, on Facebook, on Twitter, in the EVA/DC group...

I did write them a message like that in the little survey they sent me after I paid. I gave them a 3 out of 10. It's really frustrating though because there doesn't seem to be a way to e-file if you're claiming this credit. I tried on IRS's website and it wouldn't go because I'm claiming this credit and they did have the form up. Maybe if you have an accountant file for you, you can, but I've always done my own taxes. I ended up mailing in my return on Jan. 27th so I'll let you guys know when I get my refund.

 

[TimeHorse]

I've compiled a how-to contact TurboTax and complain about this affront to the American Electric and Plug-In Hybrid Driving American! I would encourage everyone to follow my lead on this and let TurboTax know they've made a grievous error by not including Form 8911!

Let TurboTax Know You Want to get the EVSE Credit!

 

[Ready2plugin]

I'm going to complain as well, although AMT killed my EVSE credit for 2010, I think I'm going to try again next year (the city did not do their inspection till first week of 2011). Most likely I'll still be in the AMT camp, but you never know :roll: .

 

[pkeys]

For those of you who filled out Form 8911, how did you figure out your "Tentative Minimum Tax?" IRS instructions have me completely lost in AMT hell & TT seems to be only marginally better. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

 

[TimeHorse]

For those of you who filled out Form 8911, how did you figure out your "Tentative Minimum Tax?" IRS instructions have me completely lost in AMT hell & TT seems to be only marginally better. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

•Line 21: Copy Form 6251, Line 33, Alternative Minimum Tax—Individuals. Notice here that the AMT is calculated before any of your credits have been applied.

Fill out form 6251 (or let TT do this for you) and copy line 33. That's how it's done. I had TT do the computation for 6251 and came out with nearly a $2500 gap between regular tax after (non EVSE) credits and and AMT which well satisfied my Home Insulation and EVSE credits, but still left me in the hole for over $1,000.

 

[thimel]

I just successfully electronically filing my taxes use TaxAct. This included form 8911 for the EVSE credit. No problem. Also, TaxAct is much cheaper than TurboTax.

 

[TimeHorse]

I just successfully electronically filing my taxes use TaxAct. This included form 8911 for the EVSE credit. No problem. Also, TaxAct is much cheaper than TurboTax.

Wow! That's awesome. I'll have to pimp TaxAct on my blog. I wonder though if it can transfer data to and from Turbo Tax. I'd hate to have to manually enter my data from last year or be locked into TaxAct permanently.

 

[c1987]

The TT missing charge station credit created headaches for me this year. First having to print and file instead of efiling. Then received a correction letter from the IRS saying I owe them an additional $900. Same amount as my EVSE credit, but no details on the adjustment in the letter. Requested the transcript to get where their error is. Will end up fighting them and going into an audit probably.

Will switch to TaxAct if EV credit is not in TT for 2011...

 

[IBELEAF]

Wow. I did the same thing and I hope it goes through. Did you in include the form for EVSE credit when you mailed in?

 

[TimeHorse]

The TT missing charge station credit created headaches for me this year. First having to print and file instead of efiling. Then received a correction letter from the IRS saying I owe them an additional $900. Same amount as my EVSE credit, but no details on the adjustment in the letter. Requested the transcript to get where their error is. Will end up fighting them and going into an audit probably.

Sacré Bleu!

Well, I've been letter-audited once before and easily prevailed. Used a Roth IRA to pay for my first home in 2003. You're allowed to do this up to $10,000 as long as the IRA is mature by at least 5 years. The Roth IRA became law in 1998. Therefore, 2003 was the first tax year any tax payer could use it to pay for a home. They sent me a bill for $5,000+. I knew what it was, and explained that my Roth was opened in 1998, faxed them the statements proving it and they went away.

If they audit me this time, here's what I do:

1. E-mail/FAX them the invoice for the EVSE
2. E-mail/FAX them the invoice for the Electrician's Parts and Labor
3. Send them a link to Clipper Creek CS-100 EVSE Installed!, with pictures of my EVSE
4. Send them a link to The EVSE Tax Credit a.k.a. The Alternative Fuel Vehicle Refueling Property Credit
5. Quote them Chapter and Verse of Title 26, Subtitle A, Chapter 1, Subchapter A, Part IV, Subpart B, Section 30C of the Code of the United States of America.
6. Explain to them that the unit is In Service and in use by members of my Electric Vehicle Association of Washington, D.C., who are free to use it at any time.
7. And finally remind the auditor that there are very few people in the United States who know the laws governing the Alternative Fuel Vehicle Refueling Property Credit better than I do, so I'm the wrong person to audit. I won're really say that! I'm not f-ing stupid!

 

[thimel]

Wow! That's awesome. I'll have to pimp TaxAct on my blog. I wonder though if it can transfer data to and from Turbo Tax. I'd hate to have to manually enter my data from last year or be locked into TaxAct permanently.

I started using TaxAct last year as it is much cheaper than TurboTax and reviews said it was just as good. Following TaxAct's directions, I had TurboTax save my tax forms as a PDF file. TaxAct then imported from that. It nicely got names and social security numbers, but not things like the names of charities I donated to or the name of my employer. I don't know if it would have properly imported things like capital loss carryover or depreciation values as I didn't have any. In my second year of use, it nicely imported everything from my previous year's use of TaxAct. I'm quite happy with it.

 

[c1987]

Wow. I did the same thing and I hope it goes through. Did you in include the form for EVSE credit when you mailed in?

Yes, it was included. I received the transcript today and there is no "IRS Computer" line for the EVSE credit. I drafted a
letter back to them to correct their math and included a another copy of the 8911 form with the letter.

 

[garygid]

The IRS did basically the same "apparently received no Solar PV tax credit form" to me last year, which delayed my refund about 4 months.

Strange how the entry carried from the PV credit form was magically different than what I submitted.

 

[IBELEAF]

Wow. I did the same thing and I hope it goes through. Did you in include the form for EVSE credit when you mailed in?

Yes, it was included. I received the transcript today and there is no "IRS Computer" line for the EVSE credit. I drafted a
letter back to them to correct their math and included a another copy of the 8911 form with the letter.

Where did this line had to go and do you know what it means. I hope they'll accept mine and so far no letter but I just mailed mine a week ago.

 

[TimeHorse]

What I neglected to explain on my web page is on Form 1040, line 53, a check mark should be in box c and the amount of your EVSE deduction in the box provided. Did you have this as well?

 

[IBELEAF]

What I neglected to explain on my web page is on Form 1040, line 53, a check mark should be in box c and the amount of your EVSE deduction in the box provided. Did you have this as well?

Yes, I have that checked and amount filled in. I didn't do anything special though it was probably done automatically by TT when I entered value from 8911 form