TurboTax giving refunds for SS error

I just received a $60 refund from TT (Intuit) because they finally recognized that their software doesn’t allow SS to show a zero taxable number for residents of the UK. It defaults to 85% and can’t be changed.

My wife has been receiving SS for a couple of years now and I compensate for their error by adding “Other Income” with a negative value to effectively zero out the taxable amount that TT puts down for SS.

Hi there, 

We’re contacting you because there’s an issue with the accuracy of your 2023 tax return. Due to a TurboTax error, some customers might have overpaid their federal, and if applicable, state taxes.

By filing an amended return, you’ll be able to get the money back in your pocket where it belongs!

We’re refunding you $60 to cover the cost of our TurboTax CD/Download product.* No need to call and request the refund. Your refund will automatically be applied to the same payment method you used to pay for TurboTax.

Please follow the steps detailed in this article: How do I amend my 2023 return to correct tax on my Social Security benefits?

TurboTax experts are available to answer your questions at 844-333-2161 (Monday–Friday, 5 AM to 5 PM PT). When you speak with an expert, just mention 2023 Social Security Benefits Taxed on Certain Foreign Residents so they know exactly what you’re calling about. 

We truly apologize for any inconvenience this might have caused and want to thank you for being part of the TurboTax family.

Warm regards,

The TurboTax Team

Doesn't your tax filer take care of this stuff? I'd hate to have to negotiate Turbo Tax for cross border taxes just because of the possibility of issues like the one you point out.

I buy TT each year in order to help plan my taxes, plus my son and my daughter both use it to check and file their returns. My son's return is very easy and he doesn't need a tax preparer.

My tax preparer doesn't have a US SSN or ITIN so is not permitted to e-file by the IRS. Since paper filing takes so incredibly long to be processed plus the aggro of sending it with tracking I always duplicate the return from my preparer in TT and e-file.

I buy TT each year in order to help plan my taxes, plus my son and my daughter both use it to check and file their returns. My son's return is very easy and he doesn't need a tax preparer.

My tax preparer doesn't have a US SSN or ITIN so is not permitted to e-file by the IRS. Since paper filing takes so incredibly long to be processed plus the aggro of sending it with tracking I always duplicate the return from my preparer in TT and e-file.

That must be a fair amount of work. I assume you use a US credit card  to pay for TT

That must be a fair amount of work. I assume you use a US credit card  to pay for TT

Yes, I use a US credit card to pay for TT.

Yes, I use a US credit card to pay for TT.

What address do you use for the US credit card billing address? Your US post "virtual" post box?
FYI I just joined ACA in preparation for opening a SDFCU account and transferred my mom-retirement Vanguard mutual funds to the equivalent ETFs.

What address do you use for the US credit card billing address? Your US post "virtual" post box?
FYI I just joined ACA in preparation for opening a SDFCU account and transferred my mom-retirement Vanguard mutual funds to the equivalent ETFs.

Yes, I use my daughter’s US virtual post box.

I can confirm that HMRC treat Vangurd ETFs as HMRC Reporting funds and give the lower tax rates on dividends and capital gains. The bad news is that those rates have risen steadily over the past few years but still lower than the regular income tax rate.

I remember you saying something about using that virtual address on your Vanguard and bank accounts...so do you have your postal address as your US virtual mail address and the account registration as your UK address...or the other way around?

I remember you saying something about using that virtual address on your Vanguard and bank accounts...so do you have your postal address as your US virtual mail address and the account registration as your UK address...or the other way around?

Correct.

Vanguard allows you to have a UK street address and UK phone number plus a correspondence address which is my US post office box. I keep one US credit card that uses my US post office box.

My US bank account only has my UK address and UK phone number. I have a US credit card with that bank that has no foreign exchange fees which I use when travelling in Europe, however that card does not work to buy TurboTax because it has a UK address

Correct.

Vanguard allows you to have a UK street address and UK phone number plus a correspondence address which is my US post office box. I keep one US credit card that uses my US post office box.

My US bank account only has my UK address and UK phone number. I have a US credit card with that bank that has no foreign exchange fees which I use when travelling in Europe, however that card does not work to buy TurboTax because it has a UK address

So you have one card where you use the US virtual address? Things are a little easier now as you can get statements by email and avoid stuff actually being sent to the US virtual address.

So you have one card where you use the US virtual address? Things are a little easier now as you can get statements by email and avoid stuff actually being sent to the US virtual address.

Correct and it is online statements only, Amex Blue Cash. Before we retired at the start of 2010 we knew we were going to be away from home up to 6 or 7 months at a time so went to great lengths to get everything we could online. We were using an internet only bank from 2006, and it worked great but had to close the account in 2015/16 as they did not support overseas customers.