Line 10b charitable contributions for standard deduction. Turbotax says line should be blank but I'm allowed to take a $300 contribution. Anyone else having this problem?

[Ryan-Moss]

Same problem. I came here to post about it.

[lisparks]

I got help -- you have to go to itemized charitable contribution deductions first and enter the charity and amount. When you do this it will auto-populate the charitable contribution amount on your 1040 and reduce your tax accordingly. Hope this helps!

[ckarpedivorced]

I am filing as Head of Household and having the same issue.  On the file review it tells me the the Cash Charitable is too large.

I was able to find the following on the IRS form instructions:

Line 10b

If you don't itemize deductions on Schedule A (Form 1040), you (or you and your spouse if filing jointly) may be able to take a charitable deduction for cash contributions made in 2020.Enter the total amount of your contributions on line 10b. Don't enter more than:

•$300 if single, head of household, or qualifying widow(er);

•$300 if married filing jointly; or

•$150 if married filing separately

[DMarkM1]

In TurboTax Online versions, enter the charitable contribution as if you were itemizing under the "Deductions & Credits" tab. 

Remember to qualify for this deduction in addition to the standard deduction the contribution must be "Money". 

Then continue through to "Wrap Up Tax Breaks" and confirm the standard deduction.  The charitable deduction should show correctly. 

Here is a link with more helpful information.

[tonyf319]

Based on the instructions for line 10b if you do not itemize on schedule A you are permitted to take $300($150 married filing separate) to a qualified charity.

Here is the excerpt from page 29 of the 2020 Form 1040 instructions.

Line 10b
If you don't itemize deductions on
Schedule A (Form 1040), you (or you
and your spouse if filing jointly) may be
able to take a charitable deduction for
cash contributions made in 2020.
Enter the total amount of your contributions
on line 10b. Don't enter more
than:
• $300 if single, head of household,
or qualifying widow(er);
• $300 if married filing jointly; or
• $150 if married filing separately.
The contributions must be made to
organizations that are religious, charitable,
educational, scientific, or literary in
purpose. See Pub. 526 for more information
on the types of organizations that
qualify. A deduction can't be taken for a
contribution to an organization described
in I.R.C. 509(a)(3) or for the establishment
of a new, or maintenance of an
existing, donor-advised fund. Also, contributions
of noncash property and contributions
carried forward from prior
years don't qualify for this deduction.
See the Instructions for Schedule A and
Pub. 526 for more information on those
types of contributions.

[JamesG1]

This TurboTax Help states: 

• For 2020, even if you don’t itemize, you may take a charitable deduction of up to $300 for cash contributions made in 2020 to qualified organizations.

If you are in TurboTax Online, the screen Charitable Cash Contributions under CARES Act appears as the end of Deductions & Credits. First you have to pass the screen Based on what you told us, the standard deduction is best for you at the end of Deductions & Credits.

But you have to qualify for the standard deduction before the screen appears.

Follow these steps: 

• At the top of the screen, click on Deductions & Credits.
• Scroll to the bottom of the page and click on Wrap up tax breaks.
• Continue through several screens.
• At the screen Based on what you told us, the standard deduction is best for you, click Continue.
• At the screen Any Charitable Cash Contributions? enter the dollar amount of charitable contributions paid by cash not to exceed $300 ($150 for married filing separately). 
• Continue through Federal Review to make sure that things look correct.

[dougtexas]

TurboTax is supposed to populate line 10b, but doesn't.    

[BillM223]

TurboTax does calculate and enter that amount in line 10b on the 1040, but there are two steps, and you have to do both of them (and the second one is not obvious).

For 2020, Congress has changed tax law to permit the deduction of certain charitable contributions “above the line”, even if the taxpayer is taking the Standard Deduction otherwise. The new deduction will appear on line 10b on the 1040.

There are restrictions: the contribution must be in cash or cash-equivalent and it cannot exceed $300 for most filing statuses (exception: $150 for Married Filing Separate).

Step #1

To enter this deduction, you must enter the charitable contributions as if you were going to itemize these contributions (do a Search (upper right) for charitable contributions and click on the jump-to result). Be sure to indicate that the contribution was “Money” or else TurboTax will not ask about it later.

Note that you do not need to enter any other charitable contributions if you are not planning to itemize.

Step #2

Then, in the Federal Review at the end of your data entry, TurboTax will realize that you are taking the Standard Deduction and ask you to enter the amount of the charitable contribution that was in cash. Note the limits described above ($300 or $150); in the desktop product, at least, if you enter an amount larger than this, you will be asked to reduce it to the limit when you enter the amount.

When you enter the cash-based charitable contribution this way, the result will appear on line 10b on the 1040 as an above-the-line deduction.

[DaveDworak]

Hi!  

So even when I put 0, 150, or 300 in box 10b it still is not letting me move forward.  What do I need to do to make Turbo Tax recognize this box and allow me to move on?  

Thanks,

Dave

[JamesG1]

Are you trying to remove the deduction or use it?  Please clarify.

If you are in TurboTax Online, the screen Charitable Cash Contributions under CARES Act appears as the end of Deductions & Credits. First you have to pass the screen Based on what you told us, the standard deduction is best for you at the end of Deductions & Credits.  Follow these steps: 

• At the top of the screen, click on Deductions & Credits.
• Scroll to the bottom of the page and click on Wrap up tax breaks.
• Continue through several screens.
• At the screen Based on what you told us, the standard deduction is best for you, click Continue.
• At the screen Any Charitable Cash Contributions? delete or enter the dollar amount.  Try deleting the contents of the box first in case there is some symbol in the box that is causing you trouble.
• Continue through Federal Review to make sure that things look correct.

[DaveDworak]

Hi!  Thanks for your reply.  My screen says 'Itemized Deduction' is best for you.  Will that change anything on how I should move forward?  I guess I would be trying to claim them.

Thanks,

Dave  

[MarilynG1]

@DaveDworak Yes, you should enter all your Charitable Contributions if you are filing using Itemized Deductions.

Click this link with info on How to Enter Charitable Donations. 

The total amount of your Charitable Contributions will be reported on Schedule A.

[bhavyas]

I have entered all my charitable contributions for the year and turbotax recommends I use itemized deductions. But whenever I try to file to my taxes, it says that line 10b should be blank. No matter whether I keep it blank or 0 or enter my total charitable contributions, it just does not go ahead. This is very frustrating since this is not intuitive at all. Can someone please help?

[DaveDworak]

Hi!

I had the same issue.  The way I got it to finally go through was to leave both boxes completely empty.  The box outside the form and the box in the form.  Make sure you don't have any hidden spaces or anything in either one.  God speed!