topic Standard or itemized deduction, married filing separately in Get your taxes done using TurboTax

Standard or itemized deduction, married filing separately

null339 — Fri, 07 Jun 2019 22:38:48 GMT

Is it mandatory if you're married and filing separately that both spouses have to either take the standard or itemized deduction? My wife took standard deduction but I wanted to take itemized as I get more money back.

Yes, but there is actually nothing stopping you from fili...

AnthonyC — Fri, 07 Jun 2019 22:38:49 GMT

Yes, but there is actually nothing stopping you from filing MFS with itemized deductions. The problem would then shift to your spouse. The IRS rule is written such that if one spouses itemizes, then the other spouse is not eligible for the standard deduction and must itemize or take no deduction. Its not applied the other way around as in, if one spouse takes the standard, then you must also take the standard. This means when you itemize, the standard deduction will be taken away from your spouse. So, whether that is something you want to do is your decision, but, in the end, you both must have the same deduction. There is no way around that rule.

IRS Publication 501

Page 22-23: Under Persons Not eligible for standard deduction

https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p501.pdf

What if the spouse is a foreign/non-resident alien and I...

a_alam102 — Fri, 07 Jun 2019 22:38:50 GMT

What if the spouse is a foreign/non-resident alien and I am filing as married filing separately instead of getting an ITIN for him, can I itemize deductions even though he is not required to file US tax?

did you find an answer to your question? I'm in the same...

ghaee-ashkan — Fri, 07 Jun 2019 22:38:50 GMT

did you find an answer to your question? I'm in the same situation

No, I was not able to get a definite answer on this. Howe...

a_alam102 — Fri, 07 Jun 2019 22:38:52 GMT

No, I was not able to get a definite answer on this. However from researching, it seems like I can choose either standard or itemized deduction. If later on spouse files for this year, they will probably need to match whichever deduction I took. It's just that both cannot take different deductions, which in my case is irrelevant since he won't be filing (no deductions). The only catch is you will have to paper file and mail return.

What is the spouse already filed HOH, standard deduction....

funcube2 — Fri, 07 Jun 2019 22:38:54 GMT

What is the spouse already filed HOH, standard deduction. Can I itemize and it not effect him? How do I get around the question "Did you spouse use standard deduction or itemize deduction"? If I chose Standard, it forces me to use Standard also.

Re: Standard or itemized deduction, married filing separately

malarcon77 — Wed, 19 Feb 2020 14:15:50 GMT

How about if you are legally married but separated and have different households, each separated spouse claim a separate child as a dependent, therefore both can claim Head of Household. Does this Itemized vs. Standard Deduction rule still apply to this situation?

Re: Standard or itemized deduction, married filing separately

DoninGA — Wed, 19 Feb 2020 14:16:55 GMT

@malarcon77 wrote:

How about if you are legally married but separated and have different households, each separated spouse claim a separate child as a dependent, therefore both can claim Head of Household. Does this Itemized vs. Standard Deduction rule still apply to this situation?

Does this Itemized vs. Standard Deduction rule still apply to this situation?

Yes it does.

Re: What is the spouse already filed HOH, standard deduction....

malarcon77 — Wed, 19 Feb 2020 14:17:23 GMT

Hi did you get an answer to this question? Thanks

Changing itemizing to standard in deluxe program

pwj5201 — Tue, 25 Feb 2020 23:40:26 GMT

I want to change for itemizing to standard can I do it with starting over?

Re: Changing itemizing to standard in deluxe program

CatinaT1 — Tue, 25 Feb 2020 23:44:47 GMT

If you want to change from Itemized Deduction to Standard Deduction in TurboTax Online, while logged in to your return:

Click on "Federal" under 209 TAXES
Click on "Deductions & Credits"
Scroll to the bottom of the page and click on "Wrap up tax breaks"
You will see "Based on what you just told us, the Standard Deduction is best for you".
At the bottom of the page, click on "Change my deduction"
Select/click on either Standard Deduction or Itemized Deduction, and then click on Continue

Re: Yes, but there is actually nothing stopping you from fili...

JimpaTaxTime — Thu, 12 Mar 2020 02:30:14 GMT

Thank you for your feedback. However how do I convert my wife's Turbo Tax reporting to from Std. Deduction to itemized. This isn't being done automatically like I had expected.

Re: Yes, but there is actually nothing stopping you from fili...

LeonardS — Thu, 12 Mar 2020 19:12:59 GMT

This link How do I change from the standard deduction to itemized (or vice-versa)? has information on how to switch between standard and itemized deductions.

Married filing separately

antony79 — Fri, 17 Apr 2020 01:38:39 GMT

Good morning, I could not finish making my statement because I have the following problem,

I do not know what option I should take for deductions since I have no communication with my wife, we are separated and when I am filling out the application the following appears:

Taxpayers must take the same deduction as their spouse. The IRS verifies the spouses' statements, and if the deductions don't match, there is a penalty.
That means you and your spouse must take the Standard Deduction or itemize your deductions.
Check with your spouse. If you have already submitted it, you are locked in your choice.

I do not know which option she took, what should I do in this case so that I am not fined?

Re: Married filing separately

Rayalston — Sun, 06 Dec 2020 21:18:40 GMT

You have to bite the bullet and reach out to her, otherwise there's a 50/50 chance you get a penalty

Re: Married filing separately

xmasbaby0 — Sun, 06 Dec 2020 21:32:38 GMT

@Rayalston It's nice to try to help other users. Pay attention to the dates their questions were posted. You just replied to a question that was asked in April.

Re: Married filing separately

Rayalston — Sun, 06 Dec 2020 22:32:57 GMT

@xmasbaby0 Thanks. I saw the date the question was posted but I felt like responding to it anyway. Sorry if you had an issue with me responding but it is what it is.

Re: Married filing separately

xmasbaby0 — Mon, 07 Dec 2020 01:05:39 GMT

@Rayalston No issue at all----please reply any time to something you want to reply to -- we welcome it. Just a hint since you are relatively new to the user forum.

Re: Yes, but there is actually nothing stopping you from fili...

ei741d — Sun, 04 Apr 2021 16:47:17 GMT

can we both take itemizes same time?

Re: Yes, but there is actually nothing stopping you from fili...

JohnW152 — Sun, 04 Apr 2021 16:57:12 GMT

Yes.

If you’re both filing separately, and one spouses itemizes, then the other spouse would have to itemize to receive a deduction. He or she wouldn’t be eligible for the standard deduction.