Checked no at 1st when asked if medical more than 7.5%. I want to enter expenses but turbo said it won't affect my taxes even though I'm itemizing. how can I fix this

[DoninGA]

Health care insurance premiums and other medical expenses that you paid with out of pocket funds are an eligible medical expense that you can deduct using Schedule A for itemized deductions. However, only your total medical expenses that are greater than 7.5% of your Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) can be deducted. Your total itemized deductions reported on Form 1040 Schedule A must be greater than the standard deduction for your filing status to have any tax benefit.

Standard deductions for 2022

Single - $12,950 add $1,750 if age 65 or older
Married Filing Separately - $12,950 add $1,400 if age 65 or older
Married Filing Jointly - $25,900 add $1,400 for each spouse age 65 or older
Head of Household - $19,400 add $1,750 if age 65 or older

To enter your medical expenses -Click on Federal Taxes (Personal using Home and Business)
Click on Deductions and Credits
Click on I'll choose what I work on (if shown)
Scroll down to Medical
On Medical Expenses, click the start or update button

Or enter medical expenses in the Search box located in the upper right of the program screen. Click on Jump to medical expenses

[MaryK4]

The deductible amount is the medical expenses above 7.5% of your income, so you must enter all your expenses and TurboTax calculates the deductible amount.

[jackiesias]

I know HOW to enter my medical info, what I'm saying is that it won't let me enter it. When I try to edit that section, it just gives me a message that says it won't affect my tax and to look for at other items. I'm wondering if something in turbo tax isn't functioning correctly? 

[MichaelG81]

You may only deduct medical expenses: 1) if you are itemizing, 2) if the amount of medical expenses paid out of pocket are greater than 7.5%of your AGI or Adjusted Gross Income. Once you answer yes to is your medical expenses more than $XXXX.XX, make an election as applicable. if you only spent $300, for example, and want to itemize that medical expense it will not be done because it has to add to more than 7.5% of AGI, even though you are itemizing the rest of your return.

@jackiesias

[jackiesias]

I understand how the medical deduction works. What I am saying is that the medical section is not functioning correctly. When I select the medical section to edit, I am not allowed to access that section. I am not allowed to enter anything or change anything. I just get a message saying it won't affect my taxes. The medical section doesn't open to allow me to change my initial "no" to a "yes" and then enter my medical expenses. It is not functioning correctly. How do I fix this problem? 

[AliciaP1]

You may not be accessing the deduction with the most direct path as I cannot recreate the issue.  

To get to medical expenses in TurboTax Online or TurboTax Desktop please follow these steps:

1. Within your tax return, use the magnifying glass to search medical expenses and click the Jump to link shown
2. You should see the Did you spend more than $XXX on medical expenses in 2022 screen where you can click yes and enter your expenses.

If that still does not work, it would be helpful to have a TurboTax ".tax2022" file that is experiencing this issue.

You can send us a “diagnostic” file that has your “numbers” but not your personal information.  If you would like to do this, here are the instructions: 

Go to the black panel on the left side of your program and select Tax Tools. 

1. Then select Tools below Tax Tools. 
2. A window will pop up which says Tools Center.  
3. On this screen, select Share my file with Agent. 
4. You will see a message explaining what the diagnostic copy is.  Click okay through this screen and then you will get a Token number. 
5. Reply to this thread with your Token number. This will allow us to open a copy of your return without seeing any personal information.  

We will then be able to see exactly what you are seeing and we can determine what exactly is going on in your return and provide you with a resolution.

@jackiesias

[jackiesias]

I tried to access the medical section as you suggested but was unable. The token for my file is 1071337

[BrittanyS]

To change values in the medical section, you must delete the medial worksheet from the return.  To complete this in TurboTax Desktop, you can follow these steps:

1. Click Forms
2. Click Medical Wks
3. Click Delete Form

To delete in TurboTax Online, follow these steps:

1. Click Tax Tools on the left-side panel
2. Click Tools
3. Click Delete a Form
4. Click Delete next to Medical Expenses Worksheet
5. Select Delete Selected Form
6. Confirm that that worksheet was removed from the list of forms
7. Click Continue with My Return

This will open the medical form back up for you to be able to reenter your information. 

@jackiesias 

[trm2]

I'm having the same problem as another poster.  I don't remember getting a box in the first place that said yes or no to how much my expenses would be.  And following these instructions, no matter how many times I start over, there's no place for me to choose "yes" or to enter expenses other than insurance to find out.  In fact, I can't find a place to enter my second insurance plan, either.

[TeresaM]

If it is stuck, deleting the worksheet and re-entering should clear that Review prompt and update the summary.

Note the amounts currently entered in this section, before you delete the worksheet.

To delete a the Medical Expenses Worksheet, you can use Delete Forms

1. In the left menu, select Tax Tools
2. Select Tools
3. Select Delete a form
4. Scroll to the Medical Expenses Worksheet (below Schedule A) and click Delete on the right
5. Then scroll to the bottom and select Continue with my return

Then, return to Deductions and Credits and the Medical section and continue through all of the questions in Medical Expenses. 

It should now give the question if your expenses will be more than 7.5% of your adjusted gross income. This is an example screen. 

[Zeen]

The problem is that Turbo Tax is not even allowing me to enter my items.  It just keeps saying that the standard deduction is what I'll get but I haven't even started to enter my medical information. This is so frustrating.

[Zeen]

By clicking delete on the form will it mess up anything? Will I really be able to go back and continue and will that form reappear afterward? I'm so afraid to click delete but I need to get to that portion about the medical expenses being more than 7.5 %.

[LindaS5247]

You can select the alternative deduction by doing the following in TurboTax. I'm not sure what you have tried, but this method allows you to switch your deductions from standard to itemized and vice versa.

Go to "Deductions and Credits" and select "I'll choose what I work on"

Answer the prompts and you will come to the screen that says "You've chosen the itemized deductions" (or "You've chosen the Standard Deduction" in your case). This is where you will make the change.

It will look like this:

Select "Change My Deduction" and then select  which deduction you wish to take.

You can then enter your medical expenses by going to your search bar at the top right of your screen and type in "medical expenses" and the select "jump to medical expenses".

This will take you to where you can enter your medical expenses.

Please feel free to come back to TurboTax Community with additional information or questions or click here for help in contacting Turbo Tax Support.