@JQ6
Whether you use standard or itemized deduction on your 2025 tax return is not determined by how much you owe to the state for 2025. You may be confusing the requirement to enter a state refund from the prior year if you itemized deductions in that tax year. If you itemized your deductions for 2024, for example, a 2024 state refund received in 2025 is taxable income for 2025.
IS MY 2024 STATE OR LOCAL REFUND TAXABLE?
If you used standard deduction for your 2024 tax return, you do not have to enter a state or local tax refund you received in 2025. If you itemized deductions then your state or local refund that you claimed on the 2024 return----and received in 2025---must be entered as taxable income on your 2025 return. If you are not sure if you itemized for 2024, look at your 2024 Form 1040 line 12. Do you see the standard deduction amount or something else?
2024 STANDARD DEDUCTION AMOUNTS
SINGLE $14,600 (65 or older/legally blind + $1950)
MARRIED FILING SEPARATELY $14,600 (65 or older/legally blind + $1550)
MARRIED FILING JOINTLY $29,200 (65 or older/legally blind + $1550)
HEAD OF HOUSEHOLD $21,900 (65 or older/legally blind + $1950)
If you need to enter a state or local refund Go to Federal>Wages & Income>1099-Misc and Other Common Income>State and Local Tax Refunds on Form 1099-G
The software determines whether you can use your itemized deductions or standard deduction based on whether you have enough itemized deductions to exceed your standard deduction.
Your itemized deductions have to be more than your standard deduction before you will see a change in your tax owed or tax refund. The deductions you enter do not necessarily count “dollar for dollar;” many of them are subject to meeting tough thresholds—medical expenses, for example, must meet a threshold that is pretty hard to reach. (Only the amount that is MORE than 7.5% of your AGI counts) The software program uses all the IRS rules that apply to the expenses you enter, and it tells you if you have enough to use your itemized deductions or if using the standard deduction is more advantageous for you.
The standard deduction makes some of your income “tax free.” It is not a refund.
2025 STANDARD DEDUCTION AMOUNTS
SINGLE $15,750 (65 or older/legally blind + $2000)
MARRIED FILING SEPARATELY $15,750 (65 or older/legally blind +1600)
MARRIED FILING JOINTLY $31,500 (65 or older/legally blind + $1600)
HEAD OF HOUSEHOLD $23,625 (65 or older/legally blind + $2000)
For 2025 through 2028 there is an extra deduction amount of up to $6000 per individual 65 or older filing Single, MFJ, or HOH which is phased out above certain incomes.
The $6,000 senior deduction will be calculated on 1040 Schedule 1-A page 2 Part V Enhanced Deduction for Seniors which goes to 1040 line 13b. It is separate and in addition to the Standard Deduction or your Itemized Deductions on 1040 line 12e. Turbol Tax automatically includes it.
IRS Schedule 1-A
https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-dft/f1040s1a--dft.pdf
**Disclaimer: Every effort has been made to offer the most correct information possible. The poster disclaims any legal responsibility for the accuracy of the information that is contained in this post.**
