How to Force Schedules L and M-1 to Print in Lacerte
Use the Balance Sheet Miscellaneous screen: screen 30 on an 1120S, screen 25 on a 1065. Enter 1 in the Schedules L and M-1 field, where 1 forces and 2 prints when applicable. There is also a global setting under Settings, Options, Tax Return, Federal Tax Options.
- Open the Balance Sheet Miscellaneous screen
- Find the schedules field
- Enter 1 to force
- Or set it for every client
- Verify the balance sheet actually ties
- Detail
- Screen 30 (1120S) / 25 (1065), Balance Sheet Miscellaneous
- Other
- Schedules L and M-1: 1=force
| Trial balance account | Lacerte screen and field | Lands on |
|---|---|---|
| Schedule L and M-1 print setting | Screen 30 (1120S) or 25 (1065), Other section | Schedules L, M-1 and M-2 |
| Global print setting | Settings, Options, Tax Return, Federal Tax Options | All clients |
| Suppressing the schedules | Same field, when the client falls under the threshold | Schedules omitted |
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Try it freeHow to Force Schedules L and M-1 to Print in Lacerte on a trial balance
| Acct # | Account | Debit | Credit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1000 | Cash | 42,800.00 | |
| 1200 | Accounts receivable | 68,500.00 | |
| 1300 | Inventory (the account this page is about) | 55,000.00 | |
| 1500 | Equipment | 145,000.00 | |
| 1510 | Accumulated depreciation | 47,500.00 | |
| 2000 | Accounts payable | 28,400.00 | |
| 2100 | Accrued expenses | 9,200.00 | |
| 2400 | Notes payable | 92,000.00 | |
| 2450 | Due to shareholder | 15,000.00 | |
| 3000 | Common stock | 10,000.00 | |
| 3900 | Retained earnings | 86,300.00 | |
| 3950 | Shareholder distributions | 52,000.00 | |
| 4000 | Gross receipts | 612,000.00 | |
| 5000 | Cost of goods sold | 318,000.00 | |
| 6000 | Salaries and wages | 88,000.00 | |
| 6050 | Officer compensation | 72,000.00 | |
| 6300 | Depreciation expense | 21,500.00 | |
| 6900 | Other operating expenses | 37,600.00 | |
| Total | 900,400.00 | 900,400.00 |
Why they disappear
Small clients fall under the receipts and assets thresholds that make Schedules L, M-1 and M-2 optional, so the software leaves them out. Nothing is broken when they are missing; the return is complete without them.
Why to force them anyway
Because those schedules are where balance sheet errors become visible. A return that does not print Schedule L is a return where nobody checked whether the balance sheet ties, and the beginning balance errors that cause the most trouble next year are invisible without it.
Three specific reasons to force them even when they are not required:
- A beginning balance error carried forward is far cheaper to find this year than next
- The equity roll forward on M-2 is the fastest check that distributions and net income were handled properly
- A client who crosses the threshold next year will need the prior year figures to be right, and they will not have been checked
The field, by module
On an 1120S it is screen 30, Balance Sheet Miscellaneous, in the Other section: Schedules L and M-1, with 1 to force and 2 for when applicable. On a 1065 it is screen 25 with a Schedules L, M-1 and M-2 field that works the same way.
If this is a firm wide preference rather than a per client decision, set it under Settings, Options, Tax Return, Federal Tax Options and stop thinking about it.
One caution about forcing
Forcing the schedules does not make them correct. It makes them visible. A forced Schedule L on a client whose books were never reconciled will show an out of balance that was always there, and the fix is the balance sheet rather than the print setting.
That is a feature. Finding it now beats finding it in a year when the client has grown past the threshold and the figures have to be right.
Tax return treatment
| Form | Line |
|---|---|
| Form 1120S | Schedules L, M-1 and M-2, page 4 |
| Form 1065 | Schedules L, M-1 and M-2, page 5 |
| Form 1120 | Schedules L, M-1 and M-2, page 5 |
Common questions
How do I force Schedule L and M-1 to print in Lacerte?
On the Balance Sheet Miscellaneous screen, screen 30 on an 1120S or screen 25 on a 1065, enter 1 in the Schedules L and M-1 field. 1 forces, 2 prints when applicable. A global setting exists under Settings, Options, Tax Return, Federal Tax Options.
Why are Schedules L, M-1 and M-2 not printing?
Because the client falls under the receipts and assets thresholds that make them optional, so the software omits them. The return is still complete. Forcing them is about being able to check the balance sheet rather than about compliance.
Should I force the schedules on every small client?
It is worth doing. The schedules are where balance sheet and equity errors surface, and an error carried forward in beginning balances is much cheaper to find in the year it arises. A client who grows past the threshold will need those prior year figures to be right.
Can I suppress the schedules instead?
Yes, the same field controls it, and there are separate Intuit instructions for suppressing Schedule L and M-1 on an S corporation. Suppressing is reasonable for a client that genuinely does not need them, as long as somebody has still checked that the balance sheet ties.
Related answers
Go deeper
This page is the short answer. These articles work through the same ground in detail.
Last reviewed October 17, 2026.