EITC Provision

[athaureaux6]

Did somebody already have a case of a low income taxpayer with unemployment ONLY to qualify to use the Look back provision? How did you handle it with the error the program is showing. I have participated in many other tax chats and a lot of tax professional still  believe that with unemployment ONLY a taxpayer does not qualify. Any updates. 

[Just-Lisa-Now-]

The error that it cant be Efiled? Were hoping that gets fixed soon.

[BobKamman]

@Just-Lisa-Now-  "The error that it cant be Efiled?"

No, the error that a rumor travels halfway around the world before IRS puts on its shoes.

IRS sees its mission as EIC fraud prevention.  To do that, it requires proof of earned income other than just the taxpayer's word for it -- at least to accept an e-filed return.  It will get around to recognizing the problem it has with this, since the 2019 lookback rule was enacted on December 27. But those who refuse to read the law will continue to express confusion.   

[Taxfileguy]

An individual with substantial or any earned income from 2019 who either lost their job at the beginning of the year, or lost a new job they were supposed to start due to covid, has no 2020 W2's to submit. They are SOL with regards to e-filing. With everything that's going on, the dismemberment of the U.S postal service, and words from the IRS's mouth, there's no telling when or if your paper return will be received. 

It's not like you can upload your 2019 w2's on your 2020 taxes. **bleep**, if you e-file every year they should know your information already.

The issue is that there's no guidance or at the very least acknowledgement. It's as though they never conceived that this would be a problem.

[BobKamman]

The best way to make sure that IRS fixes the problem tomorrow is to mail a return today.  For certain glitches, they have had all year to prepare.  But this one didn't come up until December 27.  This is why Block and J/H pay big bucks to lobbyists:  If they don't have the ear of IRS, they have the ear of the people who fund IRS.  

Give it a week or two.