Welcome back! Ask questions, get answers, and join our large community of tax professionals.
cancel
Showing results for 
Search instead for 
Did you mean: 

Use earned income 2019 to calculate EITC for 2020 with $0 income in 2020

AnhNgoc
Level 4

Hi everyone,

I have a client with $0 earned income in 2020. She just have unemployment benefit form 1099G. Can we use her earned income in 2019 to calculate and to get EITC & ACTC for her?

In her case, I search for EIC Worksheet and form 8812 and then check "YES" on "Elect to use 2019 earned income for EIC and ACTC".

If we can do that, I think Pro Series should pop up EIC worksheet and Form 8812 in "Form in use" and "Red check" on "YES" or "NO" in line "Elect to use 2019 earned income for EIC and ACTC". It's easy missing this benefit for our customer.

Best regards,

 

Anh Bui

 

0 Cheers

This discussion has been locked. No new contributions can be made. You may start a new discussion here

18 Comments 18
Just-Lisa-Now-
Level 15
Level 15

Can we use her earned income in 2019 to calculate and to get EITC & ACTC for her?

That seems to be the way the law reads.

 

I think Pro Series should pop up EIC worksheet and Form 8812 in "Form in use" and "Red check" on "YES" or "NO" in line "Elect to use 2019 earned income for EIC and ACTC".

Yes, a pink 'error' would be handy.

 


♪♫•*¨*•.¸¸♥Lisa♥¸¸.•*¨*•♫♪
IRonMaN
Level 15

"It's easy missing this benefit for our customer."

But that's why clients pay you the big bucks so you won't miss anything for them.


Slava Ukraini!
AnhNgoc
Level 4

Even though the client have no earned income in 2020?

Thanks.

0 Cheers
IRonMaN
Level 15

Yes


Slava Ukraini!
Just-Lisa-Now-
Level 15
Level 15

The instructions read that if 2019 earned income is more than 2020 you can use 2019....anything is more than zero, so if you had any earned income in 2019, seems like youd be able to use it.

We've been wrestling this around in other posts for a week now  LOL

Its all in how you interpret what it says.


♪♫•*¨*•.¸¸♥Lisa♥¸¸.•*¨*•♫♪
AnhNgoc
Level 4

But when client have $0 income, the Pro Series won't let us efile. We have to mail it to IRS ???

0 Cheers
Just-Lisa-Now-
Level 15
Level 15

Lots of people will have unemployment but no earned income, or you can always put $1 in interest or Other Income to make a return able to be Efiled.


♪♫•*¨*•.¸¸♥Lisa♥¸¸.•*¨*•♫♪
BobKamman
Level 15
AnhNgoc
Level 4

But we pay Intuit for that job too 🙂

AnhNgoc
Level 4

Thank you Lisa!!!

abctax55
Level 15

But when client have $0 income, the Pro Series won't let us efile.

I believe that is an IRS stipulation; so don't blame ProSeries or Intuit.

(edited to make clear my answer is regarding 'zero' income returns and efiling)

"*******Tax software is no substitute for a professional tax preparer*******
( Generic Comment )"
Just-Lisa-Now-
Level 15
Level 15
There was a popup alert telling us the we could Efile and Intuit would hold returns starting yesterday....but that doesnt appear to have come to fruition.

♪♫•*¨*•.¸¸♥Lisa♥¸¸.•*¨*•♫♪
athaureaux6
Level 8

How about this:   Put $1 as interest and attach a big sign in a PDF that reads: 

For electronic filing purposes ONLY. 

IRonMaN
Level 15

How about putting $1 in as other income?  Everybody must find a dime or penny on the sidewalk every now and then.  Since you can't enter it in the system as $0.01 or $0.10, you need to round up on the return.


Slava Ukraini!
hahmad
Level 1

I have a question here, I applied the option to use 2019 earned income for 2020 earned income credit and additional child credit, when check the sheet for calculation of earned income it shows that it uses 2020 income which resulted in much lower earned income credit than 2019, since total taxable income in 2020 was almost double of 2019, can we fix this to use 2019 income instead in calculation of the credit?

0 Cheers
BobKamman
Level 15

No.  2019 earned income must be more than 2020 earned income.  

hahmad
Level 1

Yes earned income in 2019 is more than 2020, but the adjusted taxable income in 2020 is more than 2019 for the same client

0 Cheers
Just-Lisa-Now-
Level 15
Level 15

If AGI is higher in 2020 then the lookback may not help


♪♫•*¨*•.¸¸♥Lisa♥¸¸.•*¨*•♫♪
0 Cheers