New [Proposed] Federal 10% Credit

[frodus]

hmmm...

it's got me thinking of my options....

[protomech]

The old IRS Form 8834 is still available, but only used for vehicles acquired before 2012.

What's New
The qualified plug-in electric vehicle credit expired for vehicles acquired after 2011. However, if you acquired the plug-in vehicle before 2012, but placed that vehicle in service during 2012, you may still be able to claim the credit for 2012. You can claim a credit for certain two- or three-wheeled vehicles acquired after 2011 on Form 8936.

Here's Form 8936, which is what will be used for bike bought in 2012 and 2013.
http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f8936.pdf

What's New
The credit is now available for certain two- or three-wheeled vehicles acquired after 2011 and before 2014.

[Richard230]

For the past few years I have had my simple tax return prepared by a local tax service, who recently moved out of town.  So that left me with the local H&R Block tax office.  Today I visited them to have my tax return prepared and was surprised to discover that they could not access IRS Form 8936 - even though I could and actually gave them a hard copy.  It turns out that they can only deal with IRS forms that their IT department has entered into the database. Right now all of the new IRS forms are labeled as "TBD".  When my tax preparer called the IT department to ask when Form 8936 would be available so that he could complete my return, he was told that they would get around to it when could and to keep checking back on the H&R Block website for recent updates. That was not what I wanted to hear as I expect to get a refund this year and I want to hit the trough before the government runs out of money again. Right now H&R Block is not giving me a warm and fuzzy feeling. 

However, I was (so far) pleasantly surprised that I have not received a 1099 from the California EV Rebaters and it looks like I will not have to pay State or Federal income taxes on the $900 that I received for buying my 2012 Zero. (Unless, of course, I am unpleasantly surprised by some sort of government form letter later this year.)

[Richard230]

After bugging H&R, I received a call today informing me that the EV credit rebate form would be in their computer system next Tuesday, February 19.  I am not too happy about the delay, but I bet there are people who bought EV autos who are even less happy about the situation than I am.   

[Richard230]

It looks like the wait may be over. I received a call from H&R Block yesterday setting up an appointment with my tax preparer for tomorrow afternoon, Saturday, February 15, to complete my tax return. 

On the other hand, I hear that another "Fiscal Cliff" budget crisis is heading our way at the end of the month - and Congress just adjourned for a ski-week vacation. My suggestion is that if you are expecting a tax refund get your return in as soon as possible - before another fiscal crisis causes a delay in cutting the checks.   

[Richard230]

When I went to my appointment last week, H&R Block still didn't have IRS form 8936 in their computer program. But it showed up over the weekend. So today they finally were able to complete my tax return. However, when they went to file the return electronically (which is why I went to them in the first place), a warning statement came up that said that the IRS would not accept my tax return electronically because the EV credit form was attached.    I was instructed to file by snail mail, so that is what I did. I wish I had known that a month ago.   

[Shinysideup]

Hmm... thanks for the heads up. That probably applies to filing electronically through TurboTax which is what I always do. Let's do the logic:
EV = hi tech.
Hi Tech promoted by feds.
eFile = hi tech.
eFile promoted by feds.
Feds won't accept eFile for EV.

Yeah, THAT makes sense!

[Richard230]

What I was told by my tax preparer, was that the IRS apparently decided that there would be relatively few people in the U.S. (other than in CA, I was thinking as he was saying this) that would need this rebate form and therefore they could wait to fit that form into their electronic filing system last, while they too care of all of the other changes made to the tax code by Congress last year.

I was told that it should be sometime in early March before they can accept electronic filing of returns requesting an EV rebate.

Then I thought: Every little bit of rebate delay does its part to reduce the effect of the "sequester" fun. 

[protomech]

Bleh. Knew I shouldn't have waited 'til the last minute to file.

Taxslayer and H&R Block do not list form 8936, or at least I couldn't find it. Turbotax did have the form.

Next year I need to start earlier and look at self-file options.

[Brammofan]

You could always file an amended return with the 8936.

[Richard230]

I had my taxes prepared by $$$ H&R Block.  You are right, they didn't have the EV tax credit form in their computer system. So I had to mail in my tax forms, instead of filing electronically.  I received my tax refund from the IRS within 3 weeks, but my CA state income tax refund (which did not have an EV credit form - or anything else weird) took 5 weeks to be deposited into my account.  Go figure.