can I skip tax breaks because I am taking the standard deduction

[fen3]

skip tax breaks section

[xmasbaby0]

If you want to skip entering your itemized deductions you can do that.  Many people will not have enough itemized deductions this year to itemize, and will just be getting their new higher standard deduction.  The thing is, though, that some of those deductions could make a difference on a state return even if they do not affect your federal return.  Information flows from your federal return to your state return, so it might not be a bad idea to go ahead and enter them anyhow.  It cannot hurt you.

The following states allow you to itemize deductions on just the state return: Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Delaware, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Minnesota, Mississippi, Montana, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, and Wisconsin, 

[ThomasM125]

No, there may be other things besides deductions that will benefit you, such as tax credits.

[rjs]

I'm not sure what you mean by the "tax breaks section." Do you mean Deductions & Credits?

If you know that you are going to take the standard deduction you do not have to enter any itemized deductions. But there are other tax breaks, that are not itemized deductions, that you can take even if you take the standard deduction. There are other deductions that are not itemized deductions. You can claim these other deductions even if you take the standard deduction. And there are credits that you can claim even if you take the standard deduction. So you should no skip the entire Deductions & Credits section. You might miss out on other kinds of tax breaks that you could use.