Do i need to fill out a form to change an itemized deduction to a standard one? I have not received a refund for the car I itemized.

[maryangelawinfie]

I itemized a car that I had donated to a charity in 2017 at the amount it had sold for.  I have not heard from the IRS since filing and would like the standard deduction of $500 instead. Do I file an amended return?

[Carl]

Until the total of all itemized deductions on the SCH A exceed your standard deduction, itemized deductions will have no impact on your tax liability. In fact, the program will not even generate a SCH A if your itemized deductions don't exceed your standard deduction.

[VolvoGirl]

What are you expecting to hear from tne IRS about?  Did they send you a letter asking for more info?  Are you waiting for a refund?  And what Standard Deduction of $500?  The Standard Deduction is a lot more than 500.  Or is there a specific standard amount for something like car donations?

[xmasbaby0]

<a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/2565781-how-much-can-i-deduct-for-donating-a-car">https://ttlc.int...>

[VolvoGirl]

Wait a minute.  You do not get a separate refund for a car donation.  It would just be part of your total refund.  Did you get a refund on the original return?  Did you file before adding the car?

[DoninGA]

Did you e-file your tax return and was it accepted?  

Use this TurboTax website to check the status of an e-filed return and if it was either accepted or rejected - <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://turbotax.intuit.com/tax-tools/efile-status-lookup/">https://turbotax.intuit.com/tax-tools/ef...>
If accepted by the IRS use the federal tax refund website to check the refund status - <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://www.irs.gov/refunds">https://www.irs.gov/refunds</a>

[xmasbaby0 · Accepted solution]

A charitable donation almost never changes your tax due or refund all by itself.  First, your donation does not count "dollar for dollar"--it is calculated by a percentage based on your tax bracket.  You need a LOT of other itemized deductions like mortgage interest or property taxes, medical expense, etc. to itemize and exceed your standard deduction.

STANDARD DEDUCTION

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, job-related expenses, casualty and theft losses, for example, must meet thresholds that are 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. Here are the Standard Deductions for 2017

Your standard deduction lowers your taxable income.  It is not a refund 

2017 Standard Deductions

Single    $6350  (65 or older + $1550)

Married Filing Separately   $6350  (65 or older +  $1250)

Married Filing Jointly           $12,700  (65 or older + $1250@)

Head of Household $9350  (65 or older + $1550)

Look on line 40 of your Form 1040 to see your itemized deductions (or your standard deduction)