FIX NEEDED: Turbotax overrides itemized deduction for married filing separately

[mikeraker]

My spouse and I are preparing our 2023 returns (using the downloaded version for Windows). It is better for us financially to file separate returns. We do not file a joint return. (No need to comment on this strategy. I'm sure it's the right one for us.) Because I itemize, my spouse itemizes as well.

At the end of the Deductions and Credits section, there's an option on the page entitled "We've Chosen Itemized Deductions for You" that allows deductions to be changed via a box entitled "Change my deduction." We did not click that box. But when we clicked "Continue," Turbotax changed the deductions on my spouse's return to the standard deduction. If I hadn't caught it, this would have resulted in my spouse filing a return with a significant error.

TURBOTAX - you need to fix this!

It's possible this same error occurred with the 2022 desktop version. Fortunately, we were planning on amending the 2022 return anyway. 

Unrelated error - When I have the 2023 version open, I'm able to open the 2022 version (by clicking on the 2022 version's icon), but I can't open older versions. I get an error message telling me that Turbotax is already running from another account.

[Mike9241]

there is a box that needs to be checked on the info worksheet

it says check this box if you are married filing separately and your spouse itemized deductions

in step mode

to get to these questions answer yes to were you married?

then it asks about filing a return together with your spouse which is no (MFS)

it'll ask spouse's first name

and then whether either (spouse's name) or you claim itemized deductions which must be checked,

there are other check boxes on that page and the next so read them carefully

if the questions are answered properly you should come to a page that says we have chsen a filinf status for you and in green Married filing separately

continuing you arrive at a page that says itemized deductions and gives the reason - spouse is itemizing

[rjs]

@mikeraker  is correct. This is a bug. Even when you check the box in the Personal Info section that says "Either Mike or I claim itemized deductions," or check the box on the Federal Information Worksheet that says your spouse itemized deductions, when you click Continue on the interview screen that says "We've Chosen Itemized Deductions for You" TurboTax unchecks the box on the Federal Information Worksheet and changes the return to use the standard deduction.

@Mike9241  I will report this bug to the moderators.

[mikeraker]

Thanks, @rjs. I changed my filing status to MFJ and then back to MFS and was able to get around the bug somehow, but the only reason I did that was because I knew of Turbotax's error. Others may not have caught the mistake.