The problem appears to rest with the first interview screen appearing after you select the "I'll enter actual expenses with the Office Expense Expert (recommended)" radio button. The very next screen, entitled "Let's confirm ----- mortgage interest applies to this home office." If you check the box: "Yes, include for this home office deduction" and are NOT itemizing deductions, you will lose a portion of your hoe mortgage interest -- there is no Schedule A. Checking the box will populate Line 10 and total on Line 14. You don't find out about this error until a number of screens later in the interview at the Excess Mortgage Interest. You are told to enter interest here if not itemizing -- an Lines 16/17 are populated. The difficulty rests with a very poor explanation of a tricky distinction in the home office deduction -- itemize or not itemize. That first interview screen needs a major re-work with an explanation. The length of this thread demonstrates their is a problem.
Cheers to all
