Deductions allowed in Virginia

[lizandty]

We cant deduct charitable or medical expenses on our Federal form. (We'll take standard deductions) Can we do so in Virginia? Is it work enumerating them?

[MayaD]

No, Virginia generally allows taxpayers to claim a deduction on their Virginia return for most itemized deductions that were claimed for federal income tax purposes. If you claimed the standard deduction on your federal income tax return, you must also claim the standard deduction on your Virginia return.

[garyhein66]

re your answer about taking standard deduction in VA.  if I take the standard deduction on federal and state, there also appears an option to use the VA "deduction statement" form for charitable deductions and long term care.  items 104 and 106 that flows to form adj/cg and then to form 760.  is this correct?

[BillM223]

Item 104 on form 760 ADJ is for Virginia 529 contributions, which are not charitable contributions. Where do you see that 104 refers to charitable contributions?

106 indeed refers to long term care premiums. You can deduct the long-term care premiums provided that you did not enter these on the federal and itemized (i.e., derived a benefit on the federal return from the premiums).

In the Virginia interview, there is a screen "Here's the income that Virginia handles differently". Scroll down to Medical and click on Start for Long-term Care Premiums Deduction.

[garyhein66]

thanks- I misread the portion of the VA deductions form that straddles 104 has has deductions after the box and I read into it that it was "charitable" deductions viz total 529 deductions.  the LTC info is a big help.  where do you want me to look for the virginia medical interview?

I didn't include ltc in earlier years - is there a simple way to modify 2017, 2018 and 2019 federal and state for not including this deduction

[BillM223]

"where do you want me to look for the virginia medical interview?"

Just where I told you 😉 - there is a screen "Here's the income that Virginia handles differently". Scroll down to Medical and click on Start for Long-term Care Premiums Deduction.

You will have to amend your prior returns to claim the LTC premium for those years. You should do a cost-benefit analysis first, since through TurboTax you will have to buy the CD/download software for each year (unless you already have it), migrate your online data to the desktop (unless it's already there), make the entries, and then print and mail each amendment separately.

To learn more information on how to amend your return, please see this TurboTax FAQ. This is for the federal, but I think it will tell you just enough to be able to do the state.

I believe that you have to do the 2017 return before, well April 15th or May 17th? The state says "3 years", but I don't know if this includes the state's moving the due date. You may have to ask them.

Note: if you extended your Virginia return for 2017, then you do have until October 15, 2021 to file the amendment. See https://www.tax.virginia.gov/amending-your-return