How many Forms 1116 can be e-filed in ProConnect

[davidwashington]

I have taxes paid to 20 countries (passive) that I want to include.   ProSeries only supports one Form 1116 of Passive Category

[IRonMaN]

I believe it supports more than one, but why not just group them into one total and select "various" for the country?

[davidwashington]

Technically we are supposed to list by country.

If a mutual fund, ok, all in one bucket.

I would have to have a good reason and support to do it any other way.

[IRonMaN]

How many dollars of foreign tax are you dealing with?

[PhoebeRoberts]

Lacerte, which is basically the desktop version of ProConnect, has basically no limit - I had 50 countries on one return last year.

The IRS *really* wants the countries separated, because people are claiming the full amount of withholding as creditable, even when a lower treaty rate applies. Reporting by country lets the IRS know that you're only getting credit for the actual tax liability. There has been a ton of IRS-sponsored CPE last year and this year, trying to get the word out.

[davidwashington]

So it does appear that ProConnect doesn't have the Form 1116 limitation that ProSeries has, HOWEVER, it (and Lacerte) have another problem that can be worked around.

Ideally we are looking for automation as much as possible.

The problem - A 1099DIV reports taxes paid to multiple countries.   Yes, you can go to a 1116 credit input sheet and list them all.   When you do this and you have high enough income and taxes paid, you have to MANUALLY make the adjustment to Foreign Income.     Well that's a lot of manual work.

What about the DIV worksheet?    YES, but you can only list one country AND even if one country and you put in the For Div and Qdiv, OK.   BUT when you also have CapGain DIsttributions, Lacerte and ProConnect automatically assume some of the capital gain DIstributions are Foreign and makes the adjustment.

Lacerte, you can put in a value of Zero Cap Gain DIstributions - works fine

ProConnect, if you leave blank it assumes, if you put in Zero, it ignores, If you put in a fraction - .00001, it will calculate an amount.   There is No Way in ProConnect to make it a zero and calculate Zero.

THE WORK-AROUND (for Lacerte and ProConnect)

First my goal is accuracy, second automation and efficiency (including ability to efile).   I have been using ProConnect for some returns that ProSeries can not accurately calculate - places where ProSeries does not support.   I look at Lacerte, as I like desktop software (it's faster), and I don't like ProFX (which I have but hate).   (I need to check out ATX to see if it has the limitations)

ProConnect - for each country with foreign taxes and income - on Form Div, LIst each separately - not in the main screen, but the secondary screen and there Only list the Dividends, Qdividends, taxes paid (and cap gains, but only if applicable).    ProConnect will then automatically adjust the income part if applicable.   So the design of ProConnect is that it looks to the Income Fields first for foreign tax info, and then to the secondary screen.    SO EXTRA work, but now I have the accuracy and ability to e-file.

LACERTE - I'm using the demo for 2022 - but found out yesterday that it has does not automatically fully calculate QBI losses (Ref 58044 - the same as ProConnect; so now I'm not sure Lacerte is the Answer over ProConnect - if a choice between I'd choose Lacerte).     Same situation with assumptions.  WORK-AROUND, separate line for each country and leave the Dividend Income section blank, make entries in the Foreign Tax Credit fields.       This automates the Adjustment and documents you entered the correct amount and adjustment was made.   So at least you're saving the time to make the adjustment to income.

INCIDENTALLY, ProSeries makes the adjustment automatically, but has other software limitations.   It does serve most of my clients well - except for those of extremely high income and losses, partnerships, and situations describe above.

[George4Tacks]

Lacerte and Proconnect:

blank is the same as zero

zero is the same as blank

both are equivalent to a non entry,

If you want a zero (0) then you must use a negative one (-1)

[davidwashington]

Thank you, I'll try the (-1).   I thought about that but didn't try.   Personally I don't like all the 1s, 2, 3s, negatives - why not just plain english instead of interpreting a number.  In Lacerte, putting a zero didn't work, but a ""-1" did work.  Thank you.

[George4Tacks]

Just to be clear, at least in my mind.

The only weird number is -1 for zero. zero essentially does not exist all on it's own in ProConnect.

There are dropdown choices that are numbered. If you remember the number it makes input quicker. e.g. Linking a depreciation item to an activity involves using the drop down, or if you remember 3 is rental, then just enter the 3. 

Some others are yes or no answers using 1 or  2. 

It is different than some other programs, but they all have their "different" way of doing things.

Good luck.