I am getting a EF message 0205 on an individual return that should be eligible for EIC. How can I clear this EF message?
EF Message 0205 states:
REVIEW DATA ENTRY: A child selected on screen DD1 (Due Diligence Assistance) is not a qualifying child for Earned Income Credit (EIC) purposes due to one of the following reasons:
- The SSN does not match any dependent's SSN on screen 2 (Dependents). (This is often due to an SSN being corrected on screen 2 after the incorrect SSN was selected from the drop list on screen DD1. In this case, reselect the SSN on screen DD1.)
- The child selected on screen DD1 does not qualify for the EIC. (This is often due to answering a question on screen 2 > "Due Diligence" tab that disqualifies the dependent from EIC or failing to answer a required question (such as "Could another person qualify to claim this
dependent?" or tiebreaker rules).)
Return to data entry and make any necessary corrections to the due diligence questions. If no changes are needed, the ineligible dependent must be removed from screen DD1.
This EF Message is generated when:
- A dependent has been selected on the DD1 screen, and
- Applicable questions on screen 2 Dependents have not been answered. Return to screen 2 and verify your entries. In Drake Tax 2023, review the applicable questions on the "Due Diligence" tab of screen 2.
- Commonly, the question "Could another person qualify to claim this child?" is left unanswered (circled in red). If you answer YES, be sure to complete the follow up questions (in yellow) to determine if the child can be claimed as the taxpayer's qualifying child.
Note: If the answers on screen 2 Dependents disallow the claiming of a dependent for EIC purposes, be sure to remove the dependent from the DD1 screen to avoid EF message 6262.