I clicked continue after seeing how much I got back last year and then choosing standard deduction, but back on wages and income the number under 2018 didn't match what turbotax had just told me, instead that number was under 2019 and a slightly higher number was under 2018. Is this okay or not?
I believe you are dealing with the taxable amount of your state refund as it appears on your federal tax return. The state refund would only be taxable if you itemized your deduction on your return in the previous year. Normally your refund on your state return from 2018 would show as taxable income on your federal return in 2019 on Schedule 1, Part 1, line 1 if it was taxable.
You can look on that line number be viewing your federal return in TurboTax as follows:
1. Find the "Tax Tools" option on your left menu bar and click on it
2. Click on "Tools"
3. Click on "View Tax Summary"
4. On the left menu bar see the option "Preview my 1040" and click on it to view form 1040 and schedule 1 to 3
If you see an entry on Sch 1, line 1, and it is the same as your state refund from 2018, and you itemized your deductions in 2018, then that should be correct.
If you didn't itemize your deductions in 2018, then the amount should be -0-.
I believe you are dealing with the taxable amount of your state refund as it appears on your federal tax return. The state refund would only be taxable if you itemized your deduction on your return in the previous year. Normally your refund on your state return from 2018 would show as taxable income on your federal return in 2019 on Schedule 1, Part 1, line 1 if it was taxable.
You can look on that line number be viewing your federal return in TurboTax as follows:
1. Find the "Tax Tools" option on your left menu bar and click on it
2. Click on "Tools"
3. Click on "View Tax Summary"
4. On the left menu bar see the option "Preview my 1040" and click on it to view form 1040 and schedule 1 to 3
If you see an entry on Sch 1, line 1, and it is the same as your state refund from 2018, and you itemized your deductions in 2018, then that should be correct.
If you didn't itemize your deductions in 2018, then the amount should be -0-.
I live in NYC and was also confused by the discrepancy. I assume it is different state by state and locality by locality, but for me the math was:
tax refund = total refund - Line 69 - line 69a (NYC school tax credit items)
The 1099-G you can get from the state aligned with what turbotax imported from my previous year's return. Strange that they have a locality option for "New York City, NY", but refund reporting seems to be at the state level.
Yes, like several other states, New York accounts for local taxes such as city and school taxes and payments for those taxes through reporting on the state return. The payments and refundable credits are listed individually on Lines 63 through 74 of the New York Resident Income Tax Return.
See Instructions for Form IT-201 for more information.