Charitable contributions error

[DaveF1006]

If you made cash donations up to $300, that is the amount that is recorded in Box10B. I am not sure what you mean by the maximum cash contribution allowed is $25 but Turbo Tax might be taking this from what you entered in the charitable contribution section in deductions and credits.  If this is the case, remove all your entries from federal>deductions and credits>charitable donations. Delete everything entered in this section and then go back a record up to a $300 cash donation for standard filers.

You may need to go to your forms:

1. IF TT Online, go to tax tools>tools>delete a form>delete and charitable contribution worksheet in the forms.
2. If using software, go to the forms mode>locate the charitable contribution worksheet 
3. Locate it in your list of forms>select it>delete at the bottom

After this is done, go to federal>deductions and credits>scroll through each page until you reach a page informing you that the standard deduction is right for you. in the very next page is where you will enter up to $300 cash donation made.

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[eric333]

@DaveF1006I went through this two weeks ago, and you and @Cynthiad66 stated that there was an ongoing issue with TurboTax where the $300 was not being accepted on the "Charitable Cash Contributions under Cares Act" page. @Cynthiad66 said here that TurboTax was waiting for something to be finalized with the IRS, else we'd see an extension past the May 17 deadline, which is now only two business days away. You said here that you didn't know when the fix to this whole $300 thing was going to happen (two weeks ago). My first reply, today, (the one you responded to within the last hour) was to check back in on this. The issue still persists -- a.k.a. claiming the $300 does not work as I described in my original comment, here.

Can you please clarify what the current status of this issue is?

Thank you for your time and help in clearing this up for the many of us encountering this issue.

[AmyC]

@eric333 The program chooses the standard deduction plus up to $300 if that is better than itemizing for you. The actual charity you entered is used to determined your deduction. If you entered $25 in charity, then standard plus $25 would be your deduction. I tried it on my program and don't have a problem.

Dave gave instructions on how to get around what could be your issues. If the program asks in the review about charity, select an amount up to $300. We have seen issues with people choosing larger amounts than $300- during the review.

Last resort,  you can fill this form out for someone to call you. It may be quite a wait.

[eric333]

@AmyCI have not mentioned trying $25. I think @DaveF1006 was just using that as some arbitrary number. I am trying to use the full $300, and if you read my original comment, then you will see my whole story. Can you please read my original comment and explain why I am getting errors when taking the standard deduction and entering $300 on the "Charitable Cash Contributions under Cares Act" page? I was told this was a widespread issue and that you would have it resolved by May 17, else we'd see an extension past May 17.

Thank you,

Eric

[AmyC]

@eric333

Your original comment says you entered it later under the CARES act. That is too late. Any number you enter there is larger than the blank area in the program.

You must enter you charity in the federal deductions and credits section even if you are taking the standard deduction. The program pulls up to $300 from what you entered in the charity section.

[eric333]

@AmyCThe TurboTax Online program says the following when I go to the federal charity section:

"This year, you can also take a deduction of up to $300 for certain cash donations in addition to the Standard Deduction. We'll ask you about these kinds of donations later. For now, we'll take you back to Deductions & Credits so you can get all of the deductions you deserve."

A.k.a. It is telling me I don't need to enter these.

Just to make sure, I had already tried entering in my donations two weeks ago. I got the same error saying my $300 claim was too large when I got to the "Charitable Cash Contributions under Cares Act" page.

[eric333]

And just to clarify, my federal return currently has roughly $310 of charitable donations specified in the "Donations to Charity in 2020" section. Still, I can't claim the $300 on the "Charitable Cash Contributions under Cares Act" page.

[eric333]

Ok, so with this section, I was confusing it to be equivalent to normal item donations. This is specifically concerning cash payments to charities, of which I didn't give $300. So while it is still confusing why the $300 doesn't work when it claims it should, I will not be claiming this deduction, in the end.

[spbeck3629]

I receive an error for line 10a and 10b. The software populated 10a with 3810 and 10b with 300. I have reviewed my chartable donations which total 12885.  I am at a loss as to how to correct the error. I have deleted my charitable  deductions and re-entered them and still get the same error.

[KathrynG3]

To clear this error, return to the Deductions & Credits section of your return. Scroll down to the end and select Done with This Donation. 

Continue through the screens so that TurboTax will optimize between the standard deduction and itemizing deductions. There will eventually be a Cares Act Charitable Donation screen. Do not enter anything in this field. Highlight and delete it completely so that TurboTax will not count the entry as an override.

Form 1040, page 1, Line 10a is coming from Schedule 1, Part II, Line 22. This is separate from the total Charitable Contributions. 

Form 1040, page 1, Line 10b is the Charitable contributions if you take the standard deduction. 

To qualify for the Cares Act above-the-line deduction up to $300 for all taxpayers except married filing separate, who would each have a maximum of $150, for standard deduction filers, the IRS clarifies that the contribution must be:

1. a cash contribution;
2. made to a qualifying organization;
3. made during the calendar year 2020

@spbeck3629

[GcLee]

This is a very strange problem in TurboTax.  I followed others suggestions but not work at all.  However, I spent hours and figured out the problem. 

This is my situation: at beginning, I did not enter my donations so just went through that section.  At the end, TT told me to enter $300 as a deduction  because TT said I am taking Standard Deduction.  This is where the problem started.  TT kept that in memory and never deleted it even I went back entered all my donation information.  It will not update or delete that even TT said I was able to have Itemized deduction. 

The fix for this is that go back and delete all the cash donations in the donation section but keep your organization and other info. there.  Then, keep going to get to the recommended $300 field, delete it/leave it blank until you reach the review section.  Then, click on Deduction and Credits section, reenter all your cash donations again.  Keep going and you will be this specific error free. 

This must be a bug in the app and the software engineers need to fix it. 

Well, I have been a long time TT user and this is the first year I got multiple situations with the app.  I guess these are pandemic WFH glitches. 

[phty95014]

There is a small bug in Turbo Tax if you don't go thru the "Guide Me" option first.

Here is the scenario:

You are an experienced TurboTax user and open a previous year tax form.  You are then given two options initially, either "Guide Me" or "I'll explore on my own".  You decide that since you know what you are doing, you go and start immediately down the "I'll explore on my own" and begin updating the old fields with new info.  This turns out not to be a good idea.

You should always go down the "Guide Me" path so that TurboTax can make sure that all essential fields are visited & set up.  After going down the "Guide Me" option at least once, you then can use the "I'll explore on my own" to make changes & corrections. 

I ended going back to the "Guide Me" path and TurboTax fixed itself without me having to figure out what to do.

[kfhoes]

I am unable to file my return because I get the error: 1040/1040SR Wks: Charitable contributions: Charitable contributions has an unacceptable value.

Turbotax automatically entered 300.

Our itemized deductions are $29567.

[JamesG1]

@kfhoes

The contribution can be entered at two places.  Make sure that you enter or remove the values correctly.

Federal 1040 line 12b Charitable Cash Contributions under CARES Act can be entered at either:

• Deductions & Credits / Donations to Charity or
• at the screen Charitable Cash Contributions under CARES Act immediately following Based on what you just told us, the Standard Deduction is best for you.

However, always pass all the way through both Deductions & Credits and Other Tax Situations.

At Deductions & Credits, scroll to the bottom of the page and click on Wrap up tax breaks.

At Other Tax Situations, scroll to the bottom of the page and click on Let’s keep going.

Remove the entry at Donations to Charity in 2021 by deleting the entry.

Remove the entry at the screen Charitable Cash Contributions under CARES Act by entering a $0.

[mrgymie1]

After following the suggestion below, I never got the Charitable Cash Contributions under Cares Act to show.  Hence problem continues :(

• Scroll to the end of the Deductions & Credits page and select Done with Deductions.
  • You may need to respond to any other additional questions. You will eventually see: The Standard Deduction is Right for You! 
  • Click Continue
  • Now, you will see Charitable Cash Contributions under Cares Act where you will see any qualified contribution amount already entered from your earlier posts. Select Continue.