TT tax recommended that I utilize the Federal standard deduction since it was higher than my itemized deduction by about $2000.
I live in VA, where whether you itemize MUST be the same on the state as on your federal return.
As far as I can tell for VA it would be better to itemized - and the reduction in tax is more than the increase in tax at the federal level for itemizing.
Does TT not look at the whole picture in determining whether to itemize or not? Or did I miss some sort of check?
No, TurboTax does not look at your state calculations when determining whether to itemize or take the standard deduction for Federal purposes. You can change it though by:
No, TurboTax does not look at your state calculations when determining whether to itemize or take the standard deduction for Federal purposes. You can change it though by: