Finally at the end of taxes but turbo tax won't let me choose my itemized deductions which are far greater, over $24,000, than the standard $13,850 . The system keeps reverting to standard deductions, not what I select or want. I've been working at this for hours and I definitely want my taxes itemized. Why isn't the change selection button working and allowing me to choose?
The Turbo Tax Free Edition is not for taxpayers who are itemizing their deductions. You will need the Deluxe Edition.
Are you making the common mistake of just adding up all the amounts for your itemized deductions without considering the caps and thresholds that must be met?
STANDARD DEDUCTION
Many taxpayers are surprised because their itemized deductions are not having the same effect as they did on past tax returns. The new higher standard deduction and the elimination of certain deductions, as well as the cap on state and local taxes have had a major impact since the new tax laws went into effect beginning with 2018 returns.
Your itemized deductions have to be more than your standard deduction before you will see a change in your tax owed or tax refund. The deductions you enter do not necessarily count “dollar for dollar;” many of them are subject to meeting tough thresholds—medical expenses, for example, must meet a threshold that is pretty hard to reach. The software program uses all the IRS rules that apply to the expenses you enter, and it tells you if you have enough to use your itemized deductions or if using the standard deduction is more advantageous for you. Under the new tax laws, some deductions have been capped—there is a $10,000 limit to the itemized deductions for state, local, property and sales taxes.
Your standard deduction lowers your taxable income. It is not a refund.
2019 Standard Deduction Amounts
Single $12,200 (+ $1650 65 or older)
Married Filing Separate $12,200 (+ $1300 if 65 or older)
Married Filing Jointly $24,400 (+ $1300 for each spouse 65 or older)
Head of Household $18,350 (+ $1650 for 65 or older)
Look on line 9 of your 2019 Form 1040 to see your itemized/standard deduction amount
It's not the free edition, it is the "free file" edition for people who qualify and it does indeed itemize. It has whole areas of itemizing deductions just like the paid subscriptions. It compares the standard deduction to the itemized deductions at the end and declared the standard deduction would give me a better refund. I don't get a refund as I don't work. It has a button to select itemized deductions instead and an explanation why I may want to do that, it gives me a choice. But no matter how many times I select the itemized button it keeps saying based on what you just said the standard is better, it is not! I need help getting the system to work to select my itemized deductions, for some reason it keeps saying I selected standard deductions! To give you an idea I spent well over 6-7 hours working itemizing prompted the whole way through by this version on this tax form preparation, and I need those deduction listed for a large variety of reasons. It kept telling how much my itemization lowered my tax rate and how it was better than the standard deduction. Been using this same version/program for years and never had this problem! Please check out why the free file turbo tax (different from free edition" is not working correctly. I read through messages and there people with the paid edition who had this problem also, but the offered solution isn't available here or doesn't pertain to this edition. My itemized deductions are over far double that of the stand deductions! Please help, I think there is a problem with the program!
It's well over the standard. I just sent a long detailed rely but it disappeared! I know what I am doing, the system is stuck/flawed. Please help me with this
I have enormous trouble typing these messages do to a medical problem, is there a telephone number I can call to ask for help?
Listed above in my first message , the standard tax deduction is $13,850.
My itemized deductions are over $24000. I don't have state or local tax limits etc that pertain to my situation.
Again the system has a button to select using the itemized deductions (which far exceed the standard). When i push use itemized deductions it it keeps saying I just selected standard deduction which I did not.
"I don't get a refund as I don't work" Did you have any income with tax withheld from it? If not, no matter how many itemized deductions you enter, you will not get a refund for them. Refunds come from having more tax withheld than you owe. if no tax was withheld, then there is nothing from which to receive a refund. What forms of income have you entered?
I know I don't get a refund. The purpose of itemizing is for other reasons and to list the maximum amount legally. The problem is with the system not working correctly . It says it allows me to change to my choice of itemization deductions but when I select that button it stays at standard deduction and basically states I just selected that.. My itemized deductions are more than the standard applicable deductions.
HOW TO FORCE ITEMIZED DEDUCTIONS
Thank you. I finally got the help I needed through the help tel number. It took a while to find that, but the representatives passed me on to a CPA rep who really helped so much. The system was showing the wrong information where the problem selection button resides, but on the actual schedule pages everything was correct. They need to fix this technical problem! All my deductions were listed correctly and printed out that way despite the finicky "button deduction selection" area. I used the "Free File" edition not the "Free" edition (so confusing). I had all the schedules completed and printed everything out at the end, all 31 pages! Glad it's over with!
Having the same problem with Turbo Tax Deluxe. Waiting for expert to call...
Try viewing your Tax Summary to determine if you are taking the standard deduction or itemizing on your return.
From the menu on the left, choose Tax Tools. Click on Tools. Click on View Tax Summary. From the left, choose Preview my 1040. Scroll to line 9. From there, you will be able to see if you are taking the standard deduction or itemizing.
They are not letting me do it on the $120 version either. Their whole reasoning for charging you $120 is so that you can properly file with your itemized deductions and then they won't let you take them. My itemized deductions state that they are over $16k and yet they continue to state that the standard deduction of $12,200 is greater. I don't know about anyone else but my math says my itemized deductions are greater. And even the graph of the two boxes, "standard" and itemized" say the same exact dollar amount. So why are they not allowing me to choose. It shows a choice but when you click on the itemized button, it takes you back to the standard deduction stating you will get more with the two boxes side by side with the same dollar amount inside the boxes. Something fishy is going on here.
Are you making the common mistake of just adding up all the amounts for your itemized deductions without considering the caps and thresholds that must be met?
STANDARD DEDUCTION
Many taxpayers are surprised because their itemized deductions are not having the same effect as they did on past tax returns. The new higher standard deduction and the elimination of certain deductions, as well as the cap on state and local taxes have had a major impact since the new tax laws went into effect beginning with 2018 returns.
Your itemized deductions have to be more than your standard deduction before you will see a change in your tax owed or tax refund. The deductions you enter do not necessarily count “dollar for dollar;” many of them are subject to meeting tough thresholds—medical expenses, for example, must meet a threshold that is pretty hard to reach. The software program uses all the IRS rules that apply to the expenses you enter, and it tells you if you have enough to use your itemized deductions or if using the standard deduction is more advantageous for you. Under the new tax laws, some deductions have been capped—there is a $10,000 limit to the itemized deductions for state, local, property and sales taxes.
Your standard deduction lowers your taxable income. It is not a refund.
2019 Standard Deduction Amounts
Single $12,200 (+ $1650 65 or older)
Married Filing Separate $12,200 (+ $1300 if 65 or older)
Married Filing Jointly $24,400 (+ $1300 for each spouse 65 or older)
Head of Household $18,350 (+ $1650 for 65 or older)
Look on line 9 of your 2019 Form 1040 to see your itemized/standard deduction amount
I called and spoke with a Quicken CPA and she advised me to go forward with return to the review area. The itemized deductions were used (as I selected) despite the crazy button earlier stating my standard deduction was better. I was able to file my return using all of my calculated deductions.
Glad to hear you were able to get your problem resolved. Most of the comments you received were frustrating to read and I’m glad you were able to find “qualified” help. That being said, I have also run into the same problem where TurboTax will not allow me to select, or even compare, my itemized deductions versus the standard deduction. As in your case, my itemized deductions also far exceed my standard deduction and over the past 13 years since living in my home, I have actually been required to itemize my expenses due to my mortgage taxes, property taxes, etc. This is the first year that TurboTax has forced me to go with the standard deduction (with no rational within the FAQ’s, etc.) as to why this might be occurring. Would you be willing to share the telephone number you used for assistance? Thanks!
I am having the same issue on my deluxe turbo tax! Itemization button not working! What # did you use?
Please click here to speak with a member of customer support.
Having the same issue. TurboTax says “Based on what you just told us, itemizing your deductions is best for you,” then defaults to Standard Deductions when I try to file.
I called the customer service line and shared screens while I showed them the issue. Clearing my cache and cookies didn’t help, nor did deleting everything and starting fresh. Despite what people are saying about the free version, upgrading to Deluxe or Premier didn’t fix the problem. The program has a glitch, and I’m sure more people will be complaining as we get closer to April.
Which number did you call? Customer service couldn’t help me at all.
Has anyone seen or done this?
If it's giving you the Standard Deduction and not showing you Schedule A you can check the actual amount of itemized deductions by using by going to
Tax Tools on left
Tools - Topic Search (top left box)
Type in itemized deductions, choosing. It should highlight that in the list, click on GO
Then Click on "Change my deduction". That will display the actual amount of itemized deductions vs. the standard deduction. (Be sure to uncheck "Change my deduction" after checking it so you do not lock in the wrong deduction.
How to change between the Standard Deduction and Itemized Deductions
Me too! I'm giving up since my itemized is not that much more than standard (<$200). It is so weird how the program tells me it is giving me itemized and that I should keep it that way because it is better, but the forms prefill and lock in to the standard deduction. Definitely a bug of some sort. Not worth my time sorting it out though. Fingers crossed they fix it by next year.