Red Alert – E-Filing – Must Have Amounts in at Least One of These Fields
If you encounter the following Red Alert during the e-filing process:
Error or Omission: Electronic Filing
This return does not qualify for electronic filing.
It means that the IRS will reject the return based on their e-filing rules.
Why This Happens:
Your return must include at least one of the following to be eligible for e-filing:
- Taxable Income
- Adjustments to Income
- Tax Liability
- Credits
- Other Taxes
- Tax Payments
If all of these lines have zero values, your return cannot be electronically filed and must be paper filed instead.
This error aligns with IRS Business Rule F1040-065, which states:
At least one of the following lines must have a non-zero value:
- Form 1040, Line 22 – Total Income
- Line 37 – Adjusted Gross Income (AGI)
- Line 44 – Tax Liability
- Line 54 – Total Credits
- Line 61 – Total Tax
- Line 72 – Total Payments
What You Can Do:
-
Review your entries:
- Go back through the Q&A starting with the Basic Information section to verify all your data is entered correctly.
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Check if you’re required to file:
- It’s possible you are not required to file a return based on your financial activity for the year.
- For help determining this, visit our IRS Filing Requirements FAQ.
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If your return remains ineligible for e-filing, you will need to print and mail it.