Rejected IRS E-fle

[RWG1950]

My MFJ customers are claiming their 22 year old daughter as qualifying child & claiming her 4th AOC.
They seem to meet all of the tests (including support) & the other circumstances to be able to do this.
The daughter worked at the local Dairy Queen while in school & has filed her own 2018 paper return to get the refund.
I prepared the parents return & attempted to e-file it. Their e-file was rejected by IRS due to the following wording :

IND-517-01 A dependent's ssn in the return must not be the same as primary or spouse ssn on another return where
"primary claim as dependent" or "spouse claim as dependent" is not checked.

I have reviewed the daughter's return. Although a full-time student, she had a $19,000 W-2. (used $12,000 std. ded.)
She HAD checked the box indicating someone can claim her as a dependent but I notice that she HAD NOT elected
a FILING STATUS on her paper return & none of these boxes were checked. I'm wondering if this is causing the problem ?
I'm at a loss as to how to proceed. Anyone out there seen this before ?
Thanks for comments.

[ATSMAN]

Paper file the parents because you have NO other option at this point. If the child's return has processed you may want to try to get a transcript if possible. I have done that when parents are not sure what their child filed.

[Burke]

You can e-file the parents' return without the dependent, and amend later if it is determined the daughter's return was filed or processed with her claiming herself. Getting a transcript of the daughter's return is good advice to review what the IRS has on their records. IRS should have defaulted to Single status on the return when it was processed. If you are looking at a paper return she printed out, it may not be exactly what was filed or processed. Had this situation last year, and I held up filing the parents until an amended return for the daughter to "unclaim" herself was processed even though there was no change in the daughter's tax liability. It took about 6-8 weeks. Since the parents owed even if they claimed her, they sent the money in with an extension. All was well in the end, and I e-filed the parents' 1040 in June.

[RWG1950]

Burke : Taxpayers get refund if filing using daughter & the AOC. Would owe if filing without this.
Parents are in no hurry to get the refund, however.
Filing a paper return seems to be the path of least resistance at this point. We can then deal with IRS if questioned. (probably will be)
Not sure how getting a transcript will help the issue though. I've got a photo copy of the return she entered by hand and mailed.
Also not sure how one can "unclaim" an exemption with an amended return. Last year there actually was an exemption amount
that could be unclaimed (if used in error) but how would this apply to 2018 ? Maybe I have misunderstood you.
I very much appreciate your comments on my case. Hope things are going well for you this tax season.

[Burke]

Burke : I've got a photo copy of the return she entered by hand and mailed.
I very much appreciate your comments on my case. Hope things are going well for you this tax season.

Aha! That explains it. It was input on the other end and obviously they entered it as though claiming herself. Filing the parents' return alone with the daughter on it will not process due to the e-file rejection, unless you attach Form 8948 with an explanation and a copy of the daughter's return IMO and a print-out of the rejection notice. I am suffering through all the stress others are facing with the new changes, but it sure has been interesting. You gotta love this stuff.