Can I amend my 2018 tax return to use itemized deductions instead of the standard deduction? My itemized deductions are less, but my taxes will come out better.

[DavidS127]

Yes, you can amend your return to use itemized deductions instead of the standard deduction.  But, I cannot envisage how you benefit from doing so when your itemized deductions are less than your standard deduction, unless there is some advantage on your state tax return. So, make sure you benefit once the amended return is prepared.

Click here for instructions on how to amend if you used TurboTax to file your 2018 return

[ajbrogan]

Hi there and thanks for the reply.  Please let me know HOW to select itemized deductions within the TurboTax Online version.  I've started a 2018 amendment in the online version and can't find anywhere to select itemized rather than standard deduction.  The software is simply defaulting to using the standard deduction because it's larger than my itemized deduction.  What the software is NOT doing is checking which option gives me a bigger refund.

The way that I benefit from using itemized deductions surprised me this year as well.  It's because all my itemized deductions are charitable contributions, and I realized that the AMT treats charitable contributions very favorably and the standard deduction very unfavorably.  In 2019, my itemized deductions are $6,096 while the standard deduction is $24,400.  Using the itemized deductions gives me about $6000 more in refund.  Shocking, right?!  So, I want to check whether 2018 is similar and I'm due more refund.

[ColeenD3]

Please see the screen shot below.

[ajbrogan]

Thanks, yes, I saw that screen in the online version I'm using right now for my 2019 return.  However, can you tell me where to find that screen in the 2018 online amendment?  That's what I'm trying to change.

[JohnB5677]

The Amend process is a little different..  The only online version available is for the current year.  That's Okay because we're going to set you up with a desktop version.

When you first open TurboTax.  Before you open this years taxes.  Scroll down to find Amend a previous tax return.  Select this and follow instructions to download the Amend Software.

[ajbrogan]

Thanks for replying John, but I'm really confused.  When I scroll down in the online 2019 version, I see "Your tax returns & documents", and when clicking "Show", I see a number of years, including 2018.  There's an option to amend my 2018 return, and it takes me to an online amendment process.  So, I'm not sure why you're saying there's no online version for previous years. There is definitely an online amendment version for 2018.  However, there are no instructions to obtain the download version.  Even if there were, I really just want to stay in the online version and click a button that elects itemized deductions. Then I'd be done in about 30 seconds rather than having to switch to the download version.  Can anyone help with this?  Thanks!

[DavidS127]

You can amend 2018 TurboTax Online.

The screen you are looking for is at the end of the Deductions and Credits section.  The screen announces that your standard deduction is higher than your itemized deductions, so TurboTax has chosen the Standard Deduction.  On that screen, underneath that announcement, there is a link to change to itemized deductions.

So, you want to click through the itemized deduction interview questions until you get to the end, to find that "announcement" about standard versus itemized.

[ajbrogan]

I appreciate the help David, but I'm still not seeing this screen in the 2018 online amendment version.  The main screen in the amendment version is a long list with 3 sections: General Info, Wages & Income, and Deductions & Credits.  For me, all of this information is correct.  Each line item has an "Update" button next to it that just allows you to change your original numbers.  There's a button at the bottom of the Deductions & Credits section, but it's only to "Add a deduction or credit", which I don't need to do.  If I click it anyway, I get a list called "Your tax breaks".  At the bottom of that, there are two buttons: "See all tax breaks", which just shows other categories to add and "Wrap up tax breaks", which just takes me back to the original list.  Then, the only remaining button at the bottom of the big original list is "Done".  Here are the questions from there: (1) why are you amending your return? (2) confirm mailing address, (3) presidential campaign donation, (4) do any of these less common situations apply?  Then I get "Let's comb through your returns one last time with completecheckTM", which disappointingly finds nothing.  It just results in a big green circle that says "Ready to File".  From there there are some more "continue" buttons, and stuff about mailing your amendment, but nothing at all about deductions.  Does this help identify where I need to look?  I feel like I've clicked every button.  Thanks!

[MaryK4]

Follow these steps:  How do I change from the standard deduction to ite ...

@ajbrogan

[ajbrogan]

Okay everybody, this is getting a bit insulting.  Those instructions work just fine for our current 2019 taxes.  But, please read my notes above.  The option to elect itemized deductions really does not appear to exist in the 2018 amendment software.  I would be very happy if it was.  Can we request that the TurboTax developers add it?  Or, I'd be very grateful if someone could provide accurate instructions. 

[AnnetteB6]

Here are a couple of suggestions that I found that may help.

One method is to try using the search term "itemized deductions, choosing".  Entering this into the search box at the top of the screen and using the jump-to link that comes up should take you to the screen that has been referred to in other answers.  This is where you can select one deduction or the other.  

Another option to try is going to Tax Tools on the left side of the screen,  Choose Tools.  Then select Topic Search.  Type Itemized Deductions and hit Go.  Another use had posted that this worked for them on the advice of a TurboTax phone agent when they were having the same problem.  

@ajbrogan

[ajbrogan]

Thanks for trying Annette.  These ideas still didn't work.  

Idea 1: all the search results are just for other community questions and answers.  There is no "jump-to" link.

Idea 2: The instructions worked until after I hit Go.  I just landed on the page called Your Tax Breaks (see longer explanation above of all the places I can get to within my amended 2018 return in the online software).  I've been to this page several times already, and none of the buttons lead to the ability to choose itemized deductions.

Can anyone confirm if it's actually possible to select itemized deductions instead of the standard deduction within the 2018 amendment online software?  Thanks!

[ajbrogan]

I have finally figured it out, and I'll write it out for anyone who has this problem in the future.  Based on Annette's answer, I went back into Tools and the Topic List.  I found it from there. 

Here are the steps:

Click on Tax Tools and then Tools.  Then click Topic List.  This brings up an old-timey-looking window that says "Topic List" at the top.  Use the little triangles to expand the following: Federal Taxes; Prepare Your Federal Tax Return; Deductions & Credits; Deductions & Credits (again).  Click on the link for Standard Deduction vs. Itemized Deductions.  This takes you back into the regular software and brings up a nice graphic showing which deduction type gives a bigger refund (or presumably a smaller amount owed).  There is a button below the graphic for Change my deduction.