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Here is something to try in your return to try to clear the error you are receiving of "unacceptable value in the charitable contributions".
Please verify the entry in the box where you entered the $300 cash charitable contribution amount in your return.
Be sure there are no extra spaces in that entry in the beginning of the numeric entry or at the end of the numeric entry. The only entry is a numeric one and of the correct amount for the cash charitable contributions.
If I list 250 as the amount of cash contributions, I don't get the error message. But if I list 300 as the amount, I get a message that the amount is too large.
I am getting the same error message. 'Tried different amounts and it won't accept any. I am unable to file electronically due to this error. Please advice.
There was an known error with that screen that has now been corrected. But to get it to work on your return go through all of the following steps in order. This will make the program go through the right steps to add the $225 credit to your standard deduction.
I am still getting this same message when I try the steps entering 300 and then tried again with 299. Both come up with the same error.
The steps are a bit different for Online than for Desktop
TurboTax ONLINE
Click Tax Tools on the left side bar
Click Tools from the drop-down
Click the "Topic Search" box on the screen
Type or scroll down to standard deduction and exemptions
Click GO
The next screen gives you an option to change your selection from Standard to Itemized and back. You do not need to change your selection
Scroll down to the bottom of that screen and click CONTINUE
The next screen is the Charitable Cash Contributions under Cares Act screen
IF YOU ARE CLAIMING STANDARD DEDUCTION enter the amount of cash contributions you made, up to 300
IF YOU ARE ITEMIZING DEDUCTIONS enter 0
Scroll down and click Continue
Click Continue on the next screen
DESKTOP
Go to Step-By-Step input
Click Federal
Click Deductions & Credits along the top
Click “I’ll choose what I work on”
Edit or Update Donations to Charity in 2020 if needed, then click “Done with Charitable Donations”
Scroll down the “Your 2020 Deductions & Credits” screen and click “Done with Deductions”
Click Continue on the “Let’s Check Your Deductions and Credits” screen
Continue through the following interview questions until you get to the “Here Are Your 2020 Deductions & Credits” screen
Click Continue
If the next screen says “The Standard deduction is Right for You!” click Continue
ON THE NEXT SCREEN enter the cash contribution made in 2020 and click Continue
Your 1040 should update
The online steps work well until I get to the review portion of the software and I get the following:
According to the 'Your Tax Breaks page, I am using the Standard Deduction.
This is a known software issue. The workaround is to delete the $300 in the error check. Then go back to Deductions & Credits and enter the contribution there, in the Donations to Charity topic. Then click Done with Donations and proceed through the screens until you get to the screen that tells you that TurboTax has added in the contribution.
The contribution will be back on Form 1040 line 10b, but it won't be flagged as an error. It only gets flagged if you enter it when prompted after you finish Deductions & Credits and the software tells you that you are getting the standard deduction. It will not get flagged if you enter it in Donations to Charity.
If this doesn't solve the issue, please try the following:
If the error persists:
Now the deduction should appear on Line 10B and in the Charitable Contributions screen.
How the CARES act changes deducting charitable contributions made in 2020
Previously, charitable contributions could only be deducted if taxpayers itemized their deductions.
However, taxpayers who don't itemize deductions may take a charitable deduction of up to $300 for cash contributions made in 2020 to qualifying organizations. For the purposes of this deduction, qualifying organizations are those that are religious, charitable, educational, scientific or literary in purpose. The law changed in this area due to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act.
Keep in mind, it is very important to keep records of your charitable contributions. If the IRS asks about them later, they will be denied if you don't have a record, receipt, letter, etc.
I have the same problem and have tried everything you suggested and it isn't working. What am I supposed to do about Intuit's software glitch? Thanks.
To get past this issue, TurboTax will need to update. It interprets any entry in the CARES Act Charitable Donations section as an override if it was entered before entering any donation information.
Try doing this in TurboTax:
Step 1: Delete the Charitable Organization donation sheet
Step 2: Re-add the Charitable Organization cash donation entered.
This process will allow you to claim up to $300 for all taxpayers except married filing separate, who would each have a maximum of $150 without itemizing deductions in 2020.
For more information, see IRS Charitable Contributions Deductions.
This is the only one that worked - apparently you have to identify the organizations you gave the $300 in cash too and then it shows up correctly on the 1040
No. if done correctly as KathrynG3 has specifie, it is not necessary to record the organization where the contribution was made.
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