Georgia has updated the tax law. Now, you can retroactively deduct tuition and general sales tax on your 2010 Georgia return.
If you claimed 1 of these deductions and already filed your Georgia return using H&R Block At Home Software, you can amend your return and claim a refund.
Follow these steps to amend your return:
- Open your return in H&R Block At Home.
- Confirm you claimed either the tuition or general sales tax deduction on your federal return. The tuition deduction appears on Form 8917. The sales deduction appears on Schedule A, line 5, with the sales tax box checked off.
- Have a printout of the Georgia return you filed. To print a copy, click File in the upper left of the program. Click Print. In the print options, select the options to print a copy of your Georgia official return. Click Print to send the return to your printer or create a PDF.
- Visit the Georgia state tax office at https://etax.dor.ga.gov and download Form 500X: Amended Individual Income Tax Return.
- Create an amended return copy of your return file by clicking File and Save As. Name the copy in the Save As window. We recommend including "amended" to your original return's name so you can tell the copy from the original return.
- Now you're in your amended return. Choose Forms at the top of the program and Open Forms.
- Choose Form 500 and then Open Form.
- If you claimed the sales tax deduction on your federal return:
- Scroll down to line 12.
- In the Mini-Worksheet for Itemized Deductions, right-click on the grey box in line d showing your sales tax deduction. Select Override.
- Check Override this entry and enter 0 in the white box below the checkbox.
- Click OK to close the dialog. A red 0 should appear in place of the sales tax deduction.
- If you claimed the tuition deduction on your federal return:
- Scroll down to Schedule 1, which is page 4 of Form 500.
- Find line d in the Mini-Worksheet for Other Additions above line 4 on Schedule 1.
- Right-click on the grey box in line d showing your tuition deduction. Select Override.
- Check Override this entry and enter 0 in the white box below the checkbox.
- Click OK to close the dialog. A red 0 should appear in place of the tuition deduction.
- If you're filing as a Georgia part-year resident or nonresident and claimed the sales tax deduction on your federal return:
- Scroll down to Schedule 3, which is page 6 of Form 500.
- In the Mini-Worksheet for Itemized Deduction, right-click on the grey box in line d showing your sales tax deduction. Select Override.
- Check Override this entry and enter 0 in the white box below the checkbox.
- Click OK to close the dialog. A red 0 should appear in place of the sales tax deduction.
- If you're filing as a Georgia part-year resident or nonresident and claimed the tuition deduction on your federal return:
- Click Close Form and click the State Allocation Worksheet.
- Click Open Form.
- Scroll down to line 30. Right-click on the grey box showing your tuition deduction. Select Override.
- Check Override this entry and enter 0 in the white box below the checkbox.
- Click OK to close the dialog. A red 0 should appear in place of the tuition deduction.
- Click Close Form and click Form 500. Click Open Form.
- Click the Print icon near the top of Forms Central and click OK to print a copy of your corrected Form 500.
- Refer to your original and corrected Forms 500 to fill out Form 500X by hand.
- Follow the instructions at the bottom of Form 500X to file your amended return. Georgia doesn't accept e-filed amended returns.
If you haven't filed your Georgia return yet:
- Complete the Georgia Interview through the Income section.
- Click Forms at the top of the program and Open Forms.
- Follow steps 7 through 11 above to claim the sales tax and / or tuition deduction on your Georgia return.
- Close Forms Central and finish the Georgia Interview.
- You'll need to print and mail your Georgia return because overriding values disqualifies your return from e-filing.
