Form 8615

[SoDak]

Anyone else having trouble with Form 8615?  I tried to call ProSeries tech support today and did not get through.  I don't feel the Schedule J information is calculating correctly.

[Just-Lisa-Now-]

8615 is kiddie tax, Sch J is for farmers, not remotely connected, and youve offered nothing in the way of explaining what is happening or what youre having trouble with.

You may want to create a new post for one of your issues and explain what is happening that you feel shouldnt or what isnt happening that you feel should and maybe someone can help you figure it out.

[SoDak]

I'm sorry my explanation wasn't more clear, as I posted about this several days ago.  I have a child who needs to file Form 8615, because of unearned income over $2,200.  His parents filed their return using Sch J, Income averaging for farmers to calculate their tax due.  The Form 8615 has a worksheet to fill in when Sch J is used to figure the parents tax.  Form 8615, Line 9 says it will automatically calculate the tax due either using the Sch D/Qual Div worksheet or Sch J.  With all worksheets filled in, it says the parents tax using Sch J is $0, which is not correct.  The child should owe tax on his cap gains/qual div at the parents' 15% rate.  If I use just the Sch D worksheet and skip the Sch J, the tax is figured correctly.  However, it will not match what the parents' return says for their tax due.  I am wondering if anyone else has this problem, if I don't have a worksheet filled in correctly, etc.  I tried to call tech support this afternoon, but did not reach anyone.

[Just-Lisa-Now-]

Ahhh, I see, sorry. I file very few 8615s and have never had a client with e Sch J, so Im not going to be much help here, sorry.

[dkh]

I don't know the answer but I'm responding so you'll be bumped to top of posts.  

Hey  @TiredFarmer is this something you have experience with?

[TiredFarmer]

I haven't had anyone use Schedule J for a couple of years but have the kids with unearned income.  I did a dummy to see if it would calculate correctly and didn't have issues with the numbers that I used. I did notice it seems that you have to answer all the questions on the worksheets.  Sorry did not see this sooner.

[SoDak]

I believe that I do have all of the worksheets filled in correctly.  The parents' tax on line 9 of Form 8615 is currently a calculated field of $0.  I have filled in the qual div; long-term cap gain; and sch j worksheets on the 8615.  Am I missing a worksheet or step?  If I take the elected farm income out of the Sch J worksheet the Cap Gain/Qual Div tax is the correct number for the parent before I used income averaging.  Once the number is in the field on the Sch J worksheet for Line 2, the parents' tax goes to $0.  I have tried updating the program, but that doesn't seem to help.  Thank you @TiredFarmer for replying to this post.  If you have any other suggestions, please let me know.

[TiredFarmer]

I have had quirky things happen to me before and someone once suggested to start like it is a new return. It did resolve my issue for whatever reason however it wasn't with a schedule J.  Did you try just a basic dummy return to see if it would work on a fresh return?  I am so sorry as I know it can really be frustrating especially this time of year. The weather is causing grief to internet service in this area sorry for the delay in reply.

[SoDak]

I must not have something quite right, as my dummy return does the same thing.  Pops in a $0 income tax for the parents on Line 9.  If I ignore the Schedule J worksheet and use the Sch D worksheet, the tax is computed correctly--it just won't match the parents' return.  All of this for $18 in tax.  😞

Thank you for taking the time to reply to my posts.  I know this is a busy time for you, too!

[TiredFarmer]

I did the dummy return on a laptop and it didn't have all the updates on it when I tried it on the computer that I use all the time with current updates I have the same issues as you so it would have to be something in one of the updates.  Just thought you should know you probably aren't missing something.

[SoDak]

Thank you, @TiredFarmer.  Although I hate to do it, I wonder if my best bet, this late in the game, is to just send that return by mail.