Claiming credit of EVSE using Turbo Tax

I have Home & Business version of TT and I am trying to figure out how to enter the credit properly. It's located under Person > Deductions and the last section called Other. Do I just enter 50% off myself or a full sum of how much I paid for EVSE?

Just looking at the screen shots ... it appears you have to calculate the credits. It does (as it normally does conveniently for you) do the calcs and auto-limits.

The way to verify is of course "manually" ... see what appears for final credits on page 2 of the 1040. Should be limited to $2k. Try messing with the numbers on the form (entering very high unusual amounts) and checking the result on 1040. But also check the effect of AMT; that part should be automated by TurboTax. If it isn't ... complain to Intuit or ask for a refund or check if they plan to update the form's calculation via online update later.

So where does it ask if you have a permit? :lol:

It mentions that forms are prepared outside of the TurboTax, so that means we won't be able to do efile...

Download and fill out (as it instructs you to do) form 8911, which you (probably) have to file anyway, and enter the amount from line 23 here, right?

IBELEAF said:

It mentions that forms are prepared outside of the TurboTax, so that means we won't be able to do efile...

Click to expand...

Are you sure ? Yes, probably ... BUT I have seen cases over the years where the form does not need to be "physically" present ... only the end result (on page 2 of the 1040). Then again, even that is not (under e-file) a real "physical" form that gets filed. It's just a stream of numbers and flags. After adding a credit amount in TT, a flag gets set and an amount flows to the proper field on 1040. For your own files you should keep completed copies of all the forms in hardcopy in case of an audit later. But don't assume efile is prevented just from the fact that the form is prepared outside of TT.

Download the IRS form 8911 from:
http://search.irs.gov/

Or Google:
irs form 8911

I did see the form online, but as I mentioned it's not in TT software. So I am just concerned if I don't submit it with efile will it cause any issues.

smkettner said:

So where does it ask if you have a permit? :lol:

Click to expand...

It doesn't, and I never said it would. The only thing I said was that if you get audited, the auditor will be looking for something that shows the EVSE was not only installed but operational. Since you can't legally use the EVSE until an inspector has signed off on the permit, a dated signoff on the permit seems like the most obvious and convincing thing to show the auditor.

IBELEAF said:

I did see the form online, but as I mentioned it's not in TT software. So I am just concerned if I don't submit it with efile will it cause any issues.

Click to expand...

IBELEAF, were you successful in e-filing with form 8911? I'm also trying in TT and it just won't let me e-file at all, it says I can only mail it in.

malloryk said:

IBELEAF said:

I did see the form online, but as I mentioned it's not in TT software. So I am just concerned if I don't submit it with efile will it cause any issues.

Click to expand...

IBELEAF, were you successful in e-filing with form 8911? I'm also trying in TT and it just won't let me e-file at all, it says I can only mail it in.

Click to expand...

Interesting, I haven't tried it yet because I am still waiting on other pieces... but I intended to simply put a sum to credit from form 8911. Are you saying that you have to mail entire tax return or just 8911 form?

IBELEAF said:

malloryk said:

IBELEAF said:

I did see the form online, but as I mentioned it's not in TT software. So I am just concerned if I don't submit it with efile will it cause any issues.

Click to expand...

IBELEAF, were you successful in e-filing with form 8911? I'm also trying in TT and it just won't let me e-file at all, it says I can only mail it in.

Click to expand...

Interesting, I haven't tried it yet because I am still waiting on other pieces... but I intended to simply put a sum to credit from form 8911. Are you saying that you have to mail entire tax return or just 8911 form?

Click to expand...

that's what I'm trying to figure out. TT lets you enter in the credit on the correct line in my 1040 and it factors it in to your refund amount, but when I try to e-file, I get a message that "TurboTax does not support form 8911" and it won't let the e-file go through. It only gives me the option to print it out to mail it in. They don't give any instruction on what to do with form 8911. Like do you just add it to the envelope? It's not letting me e-file my state return either. hmmm, very frustrating. My taxes are so simple to do, I really don't want to have to pay someone to do it.

Ok that's a bummer, I guess you just print it out and mail it directly to them via certified mail there is only one address that you mail. I wonder if $7500 credit next year will require mailing of the form as well.

It is a bummer as I'm ready to file today. I'm going to check out IRS's Free File Fillable Forms when I get home today from work and see if that works. They show form 8911 in this list. I wish I didn't already pay TT since I can do this for free (anyone can e-file this way for free btw, there's no limit on income).

http://www.irs.gov/efile/article/0,,id=202713,00.html

malloryk said:

It only gives me the option to print it out to mail it in. They don't give any instruction on what to do with form 8911. Like do you just add it to the envelope? It's not letting me e-file my state return either. hmmm, very frustrating. My taxes are so simple to do, I really don't want to have to pay someone to do it.

Click to expand...

Mallory, I'd recommend just printing out the TT forms and adding the 8911 form to the packet and mailing them in.

Boomer23 said:

malloryk said:

It only gives me the option to print it out to mail it in. They don't give any instruction on what to do with form 8911. Like do you just add it to the envelope? It's not letting me e-file my state return either. hmmm, very frustrating. My taxes are so simple to do, I really don't want to have to pay someone to do it.

Click to expand...

Mallory, I'd recommend just printing out the TT forms and adding the 8911 form to the packet and mailing them in.

Click to expand...

yeah I'm gonna do that if this doesn't work with the IRS free forms. I'll let you guys know tomorrow if it works tonight. I hate having to revert to snail-mailing my taxes in

malloryk said:

It is a bummer as I'm ready to file today.

Click to expand...

What ! I don't even have all the needed documents from banks etc.

evnow said:

malloryk said:

It is a bummer as I'm ready to file today.

Click to expand...

What ! I don't even have all the needed documents from banks etc.

Click to expand...

same here, banks are usually the last to provide the paperwork

What happened to TT "knows everything".

IBELEAF said:

evnow said:

malloryk said:

It is a bummer as I'm ready to file today.

Click to expand...

What ! I don't even have all the needed documents from banks etc.

Click to expand...

same here, banks are usually the last to provide the paperwork

Click to expand...

well, if you're waiting on anything from ingdirect, they released them today. That's the only thing I needed.