Medical expenses in NJ-1040 not working

[kroser]

I'm using TurboTax Deluxe for 2019.  When calculating taxes for NJ, I'm claiming $1000 in unreimbursed medical expenses.  Worksheet F correctly calculates my expenses by subtracting 2% of my income.  On line 6 of that spreadsheet, I'm left with a positive number that should be my deduction.  The worksheet says this value should be copied to NJ-1040 line 31.

The problem is that this value is NOT being copied to line 31 and thus not applying as a deduction on my NJ-1040.

In case it matters, this medical expense is not being used on the federal 1040 because I'm taking the standard deduction.

[rjs]

Are you using TurboTax Online or the CD/Download TurboTax software? If you're using the CD/Download software is it in Windows or on a Mac?

If you are using the CD/Download software, first make sure you have the latest updates. In Windows, on the Online menu select Check for Updates.

If you still have the problem after you update, make sure you didn't accidentally override line 31 on Form NJ-1040. In forms mode, right click the space for the amount on line 31. On the menu that pops up, if one of the choices is Cancel Override, click that and see if the amount then appears. If it just says Override, do not click that.

If the amount still does not appear, is there anything at all on line 31, or is it just blank? If it's blank, what color is the space? What are the exact amounts on lines 29 through 37? Is the amount on any of those lines any color besides black?

[kroser]

I figured out what was wrong by reading the NJ-1040 instructions from the NJ website.

The total on line 29 was beneath the filing threshold.  The instructions state in that case "Do not complete lines 30 through 49. Continue completing the return with line 50."

That explains why line 31 didn't get populated with the medical expense.

Could TurboTax have better informed me of this?  I don't know.  Maybe it could've told me the medical expenses weren't being used because of the filing threshold.