Can I deduct federal taxes paid for prior years - 2016 or 2015 - that were paid in 2017?

[DoninGA · Accepted solution]

Federal income taxes owed and paid for a prior tax year are not reported on nor deductible on a federal tax return.

[xmasbaby0]

There are six states that allow you to enter the federal tax you paid on your state return--Alabama, Iowa. Louisiana, Missouri, Montana, and Oregon.  If you are filing in one of these states watch for the deduction when you prepare your state return.

[JLNDAB92]

@xmasbaby0 I'm way behind on my 2019 return and working through it now.  I'm in the State Return and I am to the question about "Prior Year Federal Tax."  We paid tons of taxes in 2019 for years 2017 and 2018, so when I follow the directions given; adding all of the payments (not interest or fees) and then divide the amount between my spouse and I based on our income ratio, it spikes the state (Iowa) refund hugely.   I'm nervous I haven't done this correctly and if I submit it, that it will come back to haunt me.   Is this really a thing?   2019 was just a very atypical year for us, so I am fearful this anomaly will send up a red flag?   It just seems too good to be true.

[JLNDAB92]

...ugh, and the next page confused me further.  Wouldn't the extension payments be included on the previous page for "Prior Year Federal Tax."  Sure I submitted it with my extension, but it was applied to my overall 2018 obligation, so wouldn't listing it here, too, under "2018 Federal Extension Payments made" be reporting it twice?