turbotax

It's in the standalone version. If you are doing the interview, right when you start the deductions section there is a check box for other deductions that includes hybrid vehicle costs. Checking this generates some other questions a little later for electric vehicles and then clean fuel vehicles which is where you check the boxes indicating that you purchased a vehicle manufactured to meet the clean fuel vehicle requirements. If you open the 1040 form, there is a section for other adjustments to income which is where the $2000 gets entered. I haven't checked the 1040A so don't know if it has something similar or not.

 

I have used Turbo tax for the last few years. I know when I go thru the interview,it ask the question about Electric or Hybrid vehicles. Don't know what line but it should put it on the right line when you answer the question. I use Deluxe at home but did my daughters online using the Standard version.

 

I checked the TT web product and the interview and other components are virtually indistinguishable from the standalone version I have. So the deduction is definitely in there and should have appeared on Line 35 if the appropriate boxes were checked.

One thing of which I'm fairly certain is it won't work with a 1040A since there's no place to enter the deduction on that form.

 

In order for Turbo Tax for the Web to register your answer correctly and give you the $2000 federal deduction, you must check nearly every box on that screen. Including very odd ones like "Was you vehicle modified to use clean fuel?" There some that I didn't check and didn't get the credit. Frankly, the software/web site uses very poorly worded text on that page. So once I just checked about every box on that page, it applied my deduction correctly. Unfortunately, I had already filed my 1040 before I noticed they didn't give me the clean vehicle deduction. So I just corrected the error, and filed a 1040x. I should have a $500 refund coming to me now according to Turbo Tax for the Web.

Good luck,
Powers.

 

Keep clicking more boxes on the clean fuel vehicle deduction page until it lists the hybrid vehicles (2004 Civic, 2004 Prius, ...) after you hit "next". If it never asked you which hybrid model you bought, then you didn't click enough boxes in the first level clean fuel checklist.

 

You shouldn't have someone do your taxes for that reason. If you can't get the program to put 2000 on line 34, Merely override line 34 and force the issue.

 

I used TurboTax for the Web. You have to check every box on that page to get the deduction. The instructions are not clear. It shouldn't work that way. My problem was different. I used the standard version through the IRS site to file for free and when I got to the end it would not let me file unless I paid $29.95. What a racket. By the way the standard version does not allow you to import your data from the previous year which is why I used TurboTax in the first place. So I had to enter all my data and still pay the premiere price. I will call for reimbursement and never use TurboTax again. There are plenty of other free web tax services.

 

Dion -- from my understanding, you actually have to link thru from the IRS web page in order to get the free e-file. You can't just go to Turbotax.com and complete the return and e-file for free, or use the TurboTax that you buy off the shelf, although this one does allow you to file for reimbursement for one return e-filed.

This is true whether you use TurboTax, Taxcut, Taxfree, or any of the other approved e-file vendors.

From the sound of these problems from Turbo Tax, I am glad that I use Taxcut!!

 

chanterelle,
I did link to TurboTax from the IRS site. I followed all the instructions on the IRS site and the Taxfreedom.com site that the IRS site brings you to. It still charged me to file. The problem is that it thinks I used the Premiere version or at least charge me for the Premiere version. I click on and used the Standard version which is suppose to be free. I know I used the Standard version because it would not allow me to import my data from last year. I think they try to charge you inspite of which ever version you use. At least that was my experience. One of the techs said that sometimes there is a bug in the software billing and some people are billed when using the free version.

Anyway, I just called and got the reimbursement after waiting on hold for two hours. That's why I will never use TurboTax again.

 

Dion - Sorry bout that. I have heard lots of stories about people who thought it was free to e-file, but found out too late that they had to go thru the IRS website. Most of them didn't.

Glad that you were able to get the reimbursement, though!