Why sign in to the Community?

  • Submit a question
  • Check your notifications
Sign in to the Community or Sign in to TurboTax and start working on your taxes
New Member
posted Feb 6, 2021 12:51:22 PM

Entering state tax refund; I took standard deduction for federal and itemized state, so I don't know which box to check.

I am entering data for my state tax refund from 2019.  Turbo Tax is asking me if I took the standard deduction or itemized.  I took the standard for my Federal return and itemized for my state return, so I'm not sure what box to check here.

0 2 577
1 Best answer
Level 15
Feb 6, 2021 12:54:28 PM

It just wants to know about federal.  Say you took the Standard Deduction.

 

A State Tax Refund is taxable if you itemized deductions on that prior year's federal return and took a deduction for state income taxes instead of the sale tax.  You got a deduction benefit for it so now you have to include it as income. If you took the standard deduction it is not taxable and you don't need to report it.

2 Replies
Level 15
Feb 6, 2021 12:54:28 PM

It just wants to know about federal.  Say you took the Standard Deduction.

 

A State Tax Refund is taxable if you itemized deductions on that prior year's federal return and took a deduction for state income taxes instead of the sale tax.  You got a deduction benefit for it so now you have to include it as income. If you took the standard deduction it is not taxable and you don't need to report it.

New Member
Feb 12, 2021 1:41:43 PM

Thank you.

 

The instructions in Turbo Tax made it seem that was correct, and it also makes sense.  That was some good news in an otherwise not so great week.