Force standard deduction for Federal but itemized for state

[Anonymous]

I am trying to figure out how to get TurboTax to force itemized deductions only for my state return. I am married filing separately, my wife and I do not have enough deductions to itemize both of our returns so I want to take the standard deduction but still have itemized deductions for my state return which is allowed in Delaware. The issue I am running into is when I enter the deductions to use for my state return it is automatically changing my federal return to be itemized since the total is above the $12,200 standard deduction. Normally this would be great as its the better situation but since I am married and my wife does not have enough deductions to offset the standard deduction this puts us in a worse tax situation overall and I can not find a way to tell turbotax to just use the standard deduction.

[rjs]

After you finish entering all your deductions, click Done with Deductions. Proceed through the interview. It might ask you some questions, then it will show you a summary of your deductions and credits. When you click Continue on the summary screen, the next screen will ask you whether your spouse will itemize deductions or take the standard deduction. If you select standard deduction it will use the standard deduction for your tax return.

[JohnW222]

Please see the TurboTax Help article “How do I change from the standard deduction to itemized (or vice-versa)?” for more information on claiming the standard deduction instead of itemized deductions.

[mconrad]

What if TurboTax for NY State doesn't ask?  We need to file separately, and my wife is able to file head of household.  The tax situation is such that she would have likely a minor impact to itemize, but I have a major impact to use the standard deduction.  TurboTax never asked the question if she wanted to change to itemized deductions, and I can't find a place to change it.  

[DaveF1006]

What she can do is when she indicates that she is Married filing Separately in the MY INFO section of the return, the first screen is where she enters your information, name, etc. The very next screen after that will ask select any that apply. Make sure she did not or does not check the box that says Either myself or my Husband claim itemized deductions. This will place her in the standard deduction filing status.

As an added precaution, i would suggest she remove all entries she made have made regarding itemized deductions.

[mconrad]

I think that's the reverse of what I was trying to ask.  We both need to take the standard deduction on Federal.  That is correct at the moment.  NY State allows itemized deductions even if the standard deduction is taken on Federal.  My status is married filing separately and it asks me for the filing status in the New York interview.  Hers is Head of Household and TurboTax does not ask.  I can't find where there is a "Head of Household" exemption in NY from the requirement for both spouses to itemize or not, so it should ask the question.

[DaveF1006]

One problem is that if your wife is going to file separate Head of Household, she cannot legally head of household if she lived with you for the last 6 months of the year. This is one potential problem that I see. If you two live together, then you need to file Married Filing Joint or Married filing Separate. 

if she does qualify because of your absence from the home then she can file Head of Household. She would declare he filing status in the federal return and then this information will flow to your New York State return.(NYS) as a Head of household filer.

Also as you are preparing the NYS return, it will recognize that you are filing separately and will ask if you wish to itemize in your NYS as you are going through the return in Turbo Tax. Here is where you will indicate that you will itemize and she will itemize as well

[sportbikerr1]

This does not work in 2020.  There is no "Change My Deduction" button as the help describes