topic Re: Charitable donations with standard deduction error message steps in Deductions & credits

Charitable donations with standard deduction

arvi — Mon, 09 Mar 2026 04:27:14 GMT

Here's the situation: I made 2 donations in 2021, one for $100 and one for $300-- entered all the info under deductions. TurboTax chose standard deduction for me as best option. I finish my taxes and go to do smart check and i have an error: "1040/1040SR Wks: Charitable contributions: Charitable contributions has an unacceptable value." Then it shows a box with 300. and a label Charitable contributions.

What am I supposed to do?

I understand that I can only claim $300 deduction if taking standard deduction, but TT keeps showing an error?

Thanks

Re: Charitable donations with standard deduction

DoninGA — Sun, 30 Jan 2022 22:40:05 GMT

Using the TurboTax desktop editions -

To remove the error I went into Forms mode and deleted the Charitable Organization Worksheets. Then on the Form 1040 Worksheet for Line 12b removed the $300 amount so Line 12b is now blank (empty).

Going back to Step-by-Step I completed the Deductions & Credits section without entering anything for a charitable donation and click on Done with Deductions. Continuing through the screens until landing on the screen labeled Charitable Cash Contributions under Cares Act, I entered $300. Continued through Final Review without error.

For the TurboTax online editions -

The problem appears to be that a charitable donation was entered in the Deductions and Credits section of the program when you are only eligible for the Standard Deduction.

Click on Tax Tools on the left side of the online program screen

Click on Tools

Click on Delete a form

Scroll through the all the forms, schedules and worksheets listed and delete all the Charitable Organization forms listed.

When completed with removing forms click on Continue With My Return at the bottom of the list.

Click on Federal on the left side of the screen

Click on Deductions & Credits at the top of the screen

Scroll down to the bottom of the page and click on Wrap up tax breaks

Continue through the screens. After the screen showing that you are getting the Standard Deduction the following screen is Charitable Cash Contributions under Cares Act. Enter $600 if filing Jointly or $300 for all other filing status'. The federal review and the Final Review should no longer show an error for the charitable donation.

Re: Charitable donations with standard deduction

arvi — Sat, 22 Jan 2022 23:47:56 GMT

THANK YOU!

Re: Charitable donations with standard deduction

zoso1 — Thu, 27 Jan 2022 16:33:57 GMT

I read your reply - thanks!

I followed the steps you mention - I deleted the donation worksheets - then on step by step I didn't enter any donations I made - clicking through all the questions I never encounter the Charitable Contributions Under the Cares Act.

Where is that located?

Re: Charitable donations with standard deduction

JohnB5677 — Thu, 27 Jan 2022 16:57:10 GMT

For 2021 TY, you can claim an "above-the-line" cash donation of

up to $300 for singles and $600 if married for cash donations made to charity.

In Turbo Tax, the amount of cash donation will be posted only if you have not entered the cash donation in the “charity” section and only if you use the “standard deduction”.

You must click the “Wrap up tax breaks” at the bottom right of the Deductions & Credits page.

You will be asked the question

Let’s Check for Charitable Donations
Did you donate to charity?
Answer NO … Continue through the interview
Get a tax break for donating cash to charity
Post $300 or $600 as appropriate

Re: Charitable donations with standard deduction

zoso1 — Thu, 27 Jan 2022 17:16:12 GMT

I'm not seeing the Wrap up tax breaks at the bottom right. What am I missing?

Re: Charitable donations with standard deduction

DoninGA — Thu, 27 Jan 2022 17:44:41 GMT

@zoso1 The Wrap up tax breaks is shown on TurboTax online edition only. Using the TurboTax desktop editions click on Done with Deductions.

Re: Charitable donations with standard deduction

ErnieS0 — Thu, 27 Jan 2022 17:47:22 GMT

Use the Forms mode in the Download/CD version of TurboTax to enter your "above the line" charitable deductions @zoso1,

Click on Forms in the upper right corner (next to Flags and Notifications)
Once you are in Forms, select 1040/1040SR Wks (the top choice in the left column)
The form will open in the big window on the right
Scroll down to lines 12a and 12b and enter $400 in each box
Click on Step-by-Step in the upper right where Forms used to be to get back to the interview mode

I'm using a SINGLE taxpayer in the screenshot

Re: Charitable donations with standard deduction

chinga52 — Thu, 27 Jan 2022 21:01:26 GMT

In 2021, I donated over $2000. TurboTax -for Standard deduction: deducted $300 .

Should it be $600.00

Also, Hawaii State Deduction: I get an error on Worksheet A-3 for Mortgage .The amount I entered in TurboTax from 1098 Mortgage is 641.58 . How do I address this error

Re: Charitable donations with standard deduction

wbvogel — Sat, 29 Jan 2022 20:16:24 GMT

The answers provided do not address my situation. My charitable contributions exceed the standard deduction. If I answer NO to the question "Did you donate to charity?" then I lose some significant deductions.

12b. only asks you for charitable contributions if you take the standard deduction. I am taking the Itemized deduction (as recommended by TurboTax). This makes no sense.

Thanks

Re: Charitable donations with standard deduction

deetrumpet — Sun, 30 Jan 2022 08:29:43 GMT

@arvi @wbvogel @chinga52 @ErnieS0 @DoninGA Tax year 2021. I'm having a similar problem, and the posted solutions (up to Jan. 29) don't work for me. I'm using 2021 Desktop TT Premier, CD-ROM. I'm filing MFJ, taking the standard deduction. I donated $750 cash to charity, and so I'm entitled to a $600 deduction on line 12b of form 1040. My problem is that TurboTax keeps overriding my $600 entry and changing it to $300. I've double-checked that I've checked the MFJ box, and that I'm taking the standard deduction, and that my charitable donation entries show they are cash donations. (TT seems to call them "money," not "cash."

In tax year 2020, the limit for MFJ was $300. Could TT have overlooked this change in the law for tax year 2021 that raised the limit to $600 for MFJ?

What should I do next?

Re: Charitable donations with standard deduction

Airb — Sun, 30 Jan 2022 22:31:07 GMT

DoninGA's response was spot on!

I took my Donation out of the Worksheet and let the Step-by-Step resolve it for me.

I think Intuit should have flagged it when I was manually adding Charitable Donations.

Re: Charitable donations with standard deduction

chinga52 — Mon, 31 Jan 2022 22:21:22 GMT

True - made changes to include charitable donation of $600.00 for Married + Standard Deduction.

However, after doing TurbTax Federal Tax check, Turbo Tax changes it back to $300.00 and flags Error.

TurboTax needs to flag this Federal Charitable Tax donation and update Federal Tax software

Don't know what else to do?

Charitable donations with standard deduction

chinga52 — Mon, 31 Jan 2022 22:22:57 GMT

True - made changes to include charitable donation of $600.00 for Married + Standard Deduction.

However, after doing TurbTax Federal Tax check, Turbo Tax changes it back to $300.00 and flags Error.

TurboTax needs to flag this Federal Charitable Tax donation and update Federal Tax software

Don't know what else to do?

Re: Charitable donations with standard deduction

Jason707 — Tue, 01 Feb 2022 02:07:07 GMT

I just had this issue and a turbo tax person told me to delete the donation under deductions/credits screen and then enter the donation amount under the ACA donation screen. I did this and it fixed it BUT this in turn lowered my State refund by over $100.

So I went back and re-entered my cash donation and got the same error. Next when I ran an error check the software pulled up the 1040 form Line 12(b) and I changed the $300 to $600 and it corrected it, no errors and I now have the proper refund amounts for fed/state.

Re: Charitable donations with standard deduction

zoso1 — Tue, 01 Feb 2022 13:02:51 GMT

After reviewing the many messages here about this donation credit, instead of offering work-arounds why doesn't TT just correct the software?

I did get my taxes to reflect the $600 but, I'm not really sure how I did it.

Re: Charitable donations with standard deduction

LindseyLO — Tue, 01 Feb 2022 16:55:23 GMT

Thank you for your feedback. This is a new provision, and your concerns and observations will definitely be forwarded.

Re: Charitable donations with standard deduction

artworksmetal — Tue, 01 Feb 2022 21:29:47 GMT

I am using the online version. It's very confusing-the standard deduction claims to include things like charitable deductions, then claims it will ask about them later if you try to add them. Married filing jointly, our 1040 came up with 240 as the deduction. I have no idea where it got that from.

I couldn't even tell what that number was until it occurred to me to print the 1040.

I tried all the tricks that I could find on this forum. I deleted to charitable contribution forms that apparently it had imported from last year (which makes no sense to me). At no time has it taken me to the "Charitable Cash Contributions under Cares Act" screen.

I have now spent almost 2 hours trying to figure out what's going on here and how to fix the problem. it's the only thing left that's holding up my filing.

A very frustrating faux pas on the part of Intuit.

Re: Charitable donations with standard deduction

DaveF1006 — Tue, 01 Feb 2022 22:56:13 GMT

It depends. To clarify, are you able to take itemized deductions this year, which includes charitable deductions? If you are unable to itemize, then follow these instructions to claim the $600 Charitable Cash Contributions under Cares Act. You can claim this amount if you are unable to itemize your deductions in 2021. You resolve this by first clearing out all donations in the deductions and credits section of your Turbo Tax return.

If working in the online version go to federal>deductions and Credits>charitable donations
Go to Donations to Charity in 2021 and remove all charitable donations from this section.
Now Scroll to the very bottom
Select Wrap up Tax Breaks (Online)
Continue through the interview until you reach a message informing you that the Standard Deduction is Right for you.
The very next screen will say "Charitable Cash Contributions under Cares Act"
Enter your donation.

If you are working in Desktop first remove all charitable donations as described above. After this is done, perform the following steps while you are working in the deductions and credit section.

Scroll to the bottom of the page
Select Done with Deductions
Let's check your Deductions .. Continue
Here are your 2021 Deductions ... Continue
The Standard deduction is right for you ... Continue
GET A TAX BREAK FOR DONATING CASH TO CHARITY
Enter your amount

Re: Charitable donations with standard deduction

chinga52 — Wed, 02 Feb 2022 00:31:25 GMT

Dave F1006

1. Federal Return : Standard deduction (married) - your procedure to remove charible deduction under the Deduction section and Add 600.00 to Cares Act worked.

2. However, For State of Hawaii Tax: By deleting charitable deduction under "Charitable deduction section", I lose this deduction on Hawaii State Tax. This decreases my state refund by $200.00

To correct lost of charitable deduction on Hawaii State Tax return ; Went toForms - Hawaii Individual / Itemize Deduction work sheet A-4 and added donation " Gift to Charity".

So far looks okay..........Is this a viable method!

This is a very roundabout way for getting Federal and Hawaii State Charity deduction! Not very user friendly irt Charitable contributes between Federal and State tax returns.

I believe earlier another person had this issue.

3. Another Error on Hawaii State Tax : deduction and compution of Income Tax. My Mortage interest is higelighted Red. When I do a review and check entries: Message says "N-11 Interest Expenses Calculations have not been completed. Check back after 19 January 2022".

Is TurboTax working on this error!