How can I specify an uneven split of mortgage deduction for me and my wife MFS?

[pastrywhipped]

My wife and I are filing Married-Filing-Separately (assume that this is our best option). Our mortgage balance is 700K, well under 750K. Home was purchased in 2018 after the 750K principal limit took effect. Our mortgage interest paid for 2021 was 20K.

Now, Turbo Tax Desktop calculates our mortgage interest deduction as $10,714 each because it doesn't know how to specify the correct numbers in each document.

However, the above is not correct because we would end up deducting more than what was the mortgage interest for the year.

In reality, one of us can take $10,714. And the other can take the rest $9,286. Total $20K.

How can I specify how much to deduct for myself and how much to deduct for my wife, while married filing separately?

[DavidD66 · Accepted solution]

If you are in a community property state, you have to split it 50/50.  If you are not in a community property state, you can allocate it any way you like.  As for the how to "specify" just enter the amount each of you taking for the mortgage interest deduction in your return.  Since your mortgage is below the $750,000 threshold, I would skip the program calculations and just enter the amount you are claiming.