1040NR $0 tax return now efilable?

[Franck]

Hello,

Is anyone aware as to why all of a sudden it's now possible to efile 1040NR with $0 AGI?  Did I miss a bulletin? I use ProSeries Professional.  In my settings, every return is defaulted to efile.  Until very recently, ProSeries Pro always produced an error because there was a $0 AGI and that IRS rules prohibited efiling for such file and I had to uncheck the efiling option except today.  No error code at all.  I do a lot of 1040NR with Schedule E and a $0 income. 

I called ProSeries support who could not confirm that there was an affirmative change and they refer me back tot he IRS website where no mention is made of the prohibition to e-file 1040NR $0 returns but also there is nothing affirmatively highlighting the change in policy.

So far today, all the 1040NR $0 return that fell in this category that I've filed have received IRS efile acknowledgement with acceptance trace confirmation number.  I'm just bewildered that there appears not to be any mention of such a big change.  Anyone else have a different experience?  Thanks

[Just-Lisa-Now- · Accepted solution]

Dangit Franck now you're gonna jinx it! 

Im joking of course, I haven't seen anything announced anywhere about it, seemed like a dumb rule to begin with.  Why they would want to waste man hours processing zero $ returns mailed in on paper never made much sense to me.

[Franck]

Agreed on the absurdity of the rule.  Thanks Lisa.

[BobKamman]

IRS had a real problem with fraudulent refund returns.  There are 8 billion people who could be filing these, and claiming a refund of phony withholding or other credits (like the "stimulus" payments).  What would make sense is to allow zero AGI when there is also zero payments -- and maybe, that's what they have done.  Should they have announced it?  How many other preparers have a practice like yours?  Don't clutter my inbox with news of black-swan events.  

[Just-Lisa-Now-]

I didnt see mention of a refund, just a zero income return.  and I think they did make some changes during Covid for zero income returns (so people could file for stimulus with zero income), maybe it carried over to 1040NR as well.