for the federal return , please ensure you correctly answered the questions in TT so that 'married, filing separately' is accurate. When you file this way, BOTH spouses MUST take the itemized deductions or BOTH must take the standard deduction. Once can't take standard while the other takes itemized. If you don't set up TT correctly that won't occur. Suggest checking that (and I don't know whether ohio has a similar requirement)
Also, the 'SALT' deductions are limited to $5,000 each if you file separately. (SALT is 'state and local taxes'). So for example, if you have $9,000 in state and local taxes (which includes property taxes), it would be best to split evenly between the 2 of you so that each enjoys a $4,500 deduction. Otherwise, the one that takes the entire $9,000 will be limited to $5,000 and the other $4,000 is lost. When filing jointly, the limit is $10,000 so the entire $9,000 in my example could be deducted. That normally didn't matter much under the old tax law, so that may be why the CPA didn't split evenly last year.
did you have a lot of medical expenses for one of you that creates a deduction under one of you but not the other? ''
Turbo Tax doesn't check for whether you have property tax even if you own a home. For example, it could be in my best interest to pay my property taxes on December 31, 2017 and then not pay again until January 2, 2019 because my tax strategy reduces my taxes across the 3 years. That is an example where there would be no property tax deduction in 2018 even if I own a home.
I can't comment on Ohio specifically,
