If I was not aware I itemized last year and selected standard by mistake. Do i need to amended my taxes because i answer that question incorrectly in turbo tax?

[leslie.lazaro]

I was working on my 2018 taxes when i was asked by turbo tax if i itemized my taxes last year or did standard. I had selected standard because i was informed i only itemized if i save receipts. Unfortunately that was not the case because i have a house and since I have already filed my taxes with my standard deduction. My question is since i didn't answer this question correctly on turbo tax do i need to amended my taxes?

[KrisD · Accepted solution]

You might, if you received a state refund in 2018 (for tax year 2017). 

If this is the case, work-up an amended return to see if it will have any impact on your tax. 

Wait until the original processes, (the IRS might correct your return for it, in which case they will send you a letter explaining what they believe should be corrected and ask you if you agree). 

If the IRS does not correct for it, you will need to file an amended return.

If you will owe additional tax (or need to pay back part of the refund) make sure you do that by April 15th. 

[leslie.lazaro]

i received my refund and started to amend my taxes. While amending my federal taxes it never asked me if i itemized last year but it did have a section where if listed my refund from state from 2017 and it was already prefigured because turbo tax imported that number for me because i did my taxes last year with them. I reviewed all the information on my federal and nothing change with my refund then i started with state amended but state amended is asking for additional forms which i don't have. I just wanted to make sure i am doing the right thing by amended because it doesn't seem like it?

[KrisD]

Please look at the original 1040 line 6. If the amount of the refund is included, you do not need to file an amended return to add the refund. (it was already claimed) No amendment needed for the federal nor state return.

[leslie.lazaro]

i looked at the original 1040 line 1. It says wages, salaries, tips, etc... what do i need to do to find out my refund was included. what steps should i take?

[KrisD]

You want to know if you had already claimed the refund on your 2018 1040, correct? Look at Schedule 1 line 10. This is the first place it would be listed. From there it is carried to the 1040 line 6.
Schedule 1 is attached to the 1040.

[leslie.lazaro]

On schedule 1 line 10 taxable income the number listed is different then my line 6 but line 10 plus standard or itimized line 8 equals my number Total income line 6

[KrisD]

FIRST, we are talking about your 2017 refund, which you received in 2018.
Is the refund taxable on your 2018 return? NO-not if you took the Standard Deduction on your 2017 return.
Did you take the standard deduction on your 2017 return? I don't know, I think you say "Yes" you did, but when the program asked, you said No, you took the standard.
Do you need to know where to find this information? It is on line 40 of the 2017 1040. You need to look at this line to see if you itemized or took the standard deduction. Also, if you itemized, you would have had a 2017 Schedule A.

OK, now I think you are  saying that you DO need to claim the refund, but your not sure if you already did claim the.  refund on your original 2018 1040.
To see if you claimed the refund already, look at your 2018 Schedule 1 line 10.
JUST SCHEDULE 1 LINE 10.
If this line has the refund reported, you already claimed it. If not you didn't.

(schedule 1 line 10 does flow to the 1040 line 6 but so do other things, so the amount won't be the same. Just look at schedule 1 line 10)

I hope this makes sense. If not, please tell me what exactly you are trying to look at or find at this point.

[KrisD]

OH, YES!!!  If schedule 1 line 10 plus 1040 line 8 equals 1040 line 6, you're good!! The refund IS reported as income!
The amount on Schedule 1 line 10 should be the same as the amount of the refund.

[leslie.lazaro]

I'm sorry i was mistaken on my 2018 i dont have a schedule 1 tax form so  i am very confused.

This is what happen.

In 2017 i did itemize because that is what turbo tax prompted me to do because i have a house. so in 2017 i did file a schedule A.

This year when i did my taxes for 2018 turbo tax asked me a question that said.....did you itemize or take the standard deduction in 2017. i was misinformed about what it means to itemize and selected standard. then i finish the rest of my taxes and sent it through efile

once i was informed that i itemized last year i realized i made a mistake on my 2018 taxes. so i was asking in the beginning of this whole conversation if i needed to amended my taxes because i answered that question incorrectly.

you had responded and told me that i needed to wait and see if the Irs would catch my mistake and send me a letter to fix it. unfortunately the Irs did not send me the letter and i received my refund. so i started to amended the taxes. once i was amending them using turbo tax that question never came back and the refund stayed at zero there was no change for federal. i started to

[leslie.lazaro]

i started to amended my states when i realized i did have extra forms to amended it. so i felt i was doing the wrong thing. that what started this whole conversation. hope this helps you understand my question

[leslie.lazaro]

didnt have extra forms*

[KrisD]

Ok, got it.
Here is how to enter the tax refund as income:

Type   refunds-state income tax   into the search box and click the "Jump to refunds-state income tax" link

Or

Click Federal

Wages & Income

Scroll down to “Other Common Income” (First click “Show all income” if needed)

Click Start next to Refunds Received for State/Local Tax Returns