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Level 2
September 23, 2025
Question

Social Security worksheet question.

  • September 23, 2025
  • 2 replies
  • 20 views

In Pro Series Basic program, how does the Line 1b get a value on the Social Security Benefits worksheet??  Just had a client get an IRS notice that their SS income for 2024 was taxable and substantial penalty was imposed for not including it in income.  I went back to the return and I find a 'value' equal to the total SS income received for 2024 entered on Line 1b.  Line 1b gives taxpayer who are US residents but reside in certain countries an exemption from declaring their SS income.  They have no foreign address, one was never entered and you cannot enter a value 'directly' in that field either.  Right clicking on the value doesn't give you a hyperlink to where that data came from either??  So, my question is how did it get in there and where does it pull that data to fill in the Line 1b??

2 replies

BobKamman
Level 15
September 24, 2025

At the top of the Social Security worksheet, where you enter the amounts, there are boxes to check if taxpayer resides in certain listed countries.  A gremlin must have checked that box when you weren't looking. 

Say what you will about paper returns, but preparing them correctly is easier for me if I have something in front of me that I can review, like in the good old days, to check if it passes "the smell test."  Does the return itself show Social Security amount received on Line 6a?  What is the AGI?  If I see $30,000 Social Security with 0 taxable and $50,000 AGI anyway, it's going to jump out at me.  Maybe it would, looking at a screen too, but I'm an old dog not good at learning new tricks. 

Another feature that might have avoided this is to use the "two year comparison."  Were these new clients?  I don't have any new clients.  I should always check the two-year comparison, but sometimes I don't until I have printed out the paper return.

RhodeyAuthor
Level 2
September 24, 2025

Thank you my friend, yes indeed that box was checked!  I have been doing returns for over 40 years and I have never checked that box but I don't think the 'gremlin' did it either!!  Ha!  Something tells me I'll be paying particular attention to that little box from here on out.  Again, many thanks for pointing that out to me.

BobKamman
Level 15
September 24, 2025

Thanks for pointing out one more way the software is our friend, except when it becomes our enemy.