What is TurboTax Error Code 8889?
TurboTax is one of the most widely used tax preparation software programs in the USA. While a few of its versions, such as the TurboTax Deluxe and TurboTax Premier, are available for both state and federal income tax returns, situations arise when issues like runtime error 8889 TurboTax pops up on your computer screen, and you are stuck amidst an important tax-related task. You can follow some simple troubleshooting techniques to overcome the error.
Things you should know about TurboTax 8889 Error
The runtime error 8889 flashes on your computer screen when TurboTax crashes whilst it’s running.
Another aspect of the TurboTax 8889 Error is associated with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). According to the IRS, you must prepare Form 8889 with your tax return before contributing to a health savings account (HSA). The Form 8889 reports your deductible contributions, calculates it, reports the distributions for the payment of medical expenses, and calculates the tax for other purposes (non-medical).
Symptoms of TurboTax Error 8889
One of the common symptoms of TurboTax 8889 error is that you cannot operate the software at all. It happens without any warning. Instances occur when an error notification repeatedly pops up on your computer screen until the issue is resolved. Secondly, you might find that a few files are deleted from your computer or that new files are created. The TurboTax Error 8889 often slows down your internet speed and doesn’t allow you to work smoothly.
Causes of TurboTax Error 8889
When software programmers write code, they anticipate the occurrence of error while designing software. Issues can occur during runtime if errors are not experienced and addressed by the programmers during software design and testing.
One of the common reasons why TurboTax 8889 Error occurs is due to incompatible programs operating at the same time. Besides, a corrupt graphics driver or a virus infection can lead to the error. You must take appropriate measures to resolve the problem or else the problems can lead to severe damages to your system.
What is Form 8889 For HSA Contributions?
Having a Health Savings Account (HSA) is one of the best ways to save money. Leading organizations offer their employees with high-deductible health insurance coverage with a minimum monthly premium. They often contribute a certain amount of money to your HSA and as a result of which you don’t need to pay income taxes or Social Security Taxes. However, the HSA requires you to fill out the Form 8889 every year for tax calculations. The form helps you in calculating the tax deductions while making HSA contributions. It includes the information on the amount of money you took from the HSA for medical expenses. The correct use of HSA can help you significantly in tax savings. As such, you must fill out the form 8889 each financial year. To fill out the form, you can use tax software like TurboTax.
How Does HSA Work?
If you have an HSA, you can contribute an annual tax-deductible amount up to $3,500 for an individual plan or up to $7,000 for family plans. You can use this feature to meet your emergency medical expenses in the future. The money that gets accumulated in the HSA is a tax-free amount. However, this amount is tax-free only if you file Form 8889 with your tax return every year.
How to Resolve TurboTax Error 8889?
If you have encountered a TurboTax 8889 Error and need to fix it, follow the troubleshooting methods mentioned below:
1st Method: Close the Conflicting Programs
One of the major reasons for the runtime error to occur is that multiple programs on your computer are conflicting with each other. You must stop such conflicting programs to resolve the issue. Here’s what you can do:
- Press the Ctrl+ALt+Del keys together on the keyboard and open the Task Manager.
- Under the “Processes” tab, select all the programs one by one and click on the “End Task” option at the bottom.
- Check whether the TurboTax 8889 Error reoccurs or not once you stop a process through the Task Manager.
- Once you figure out the application that causes the error to occur, reinstall the application.
2nd Method: Update or Reinstall the Conflicting Programs Using the Control Panel
You can use the Control Panel on your computer to perform the action. Here’s what need to do:
- Click on “Start” and go to the Control Panel.
- Select the appropriate program and then click on Uninstall.
- If a program needs to be updated, click the program with the problem, and once you are inside Programs and Features, update it.
3rd Method: Update Your Antivirus
An antivirus plays a major role in restricting the TurboTax 8889 Error. Always ensure that your antivirus program is updated with its latest version. Run a thorough scan of your system files with the updated antivirus. Alternatively, run a Windows Update on your computer to get the latest virus definition and fix.
4th Method: Run Disk Cleanup
An extremely low free space on your computer can lead to the runtime TurboTax 8889 Error. A proper file backup and freeing up your disk space on your hard drive often resolves the error. Alternatively, you can delete your cache files and reboot your system.
5th Method: Reinstall Graphics Driver
To reinstall the graphics driver on your computer, perform the following steps:
- Right-click on the “My Computer” icon and choose Properties.
- On the left panel, click on “Device Manager” and locate your graphics driver.
- Right-click on the video card and then select Uninstall.
- Reboot your computer and reinstall the Graphics Driver.
6th Method: Reinstall Runtime Libraries
The TurboTax 8889 Error can occur on your computer because of improper or incomplete installation of an MS Visual C++ update. To resolve the error, you can uninstall the existing package and install a fresh one.
For un-installation, go to Programs and Features, locate and select the Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable Package, and click on “Uninstall” at the top of the list. When you complete the un-installation, reboot your computer. Lastly, download the redistributable package from Microsoft’s official website and install it.
The troubleshooting methods discussed above resolve the TurboTax 8889 error when various technical glitches occur on your computer and an error notification pops up on your computer screen.
As discussed earlier, another aspect of the error is associated with the IRS. Follow the below-mentioned procedure to amend your tax return and restrict the error 8889 to pop up on your computer screen. Here’s what you need to do:
- Log in to your account.
- Select the relevant year and then click on Amend Return under your Tax Return & Documents tab.
- Select the “Amend using TurboTax Online” option.
- Follow the on-screen instructions and you will find that your refund or tax due value will be zero.
