how do I override the standard deduction in turbotax

[DanaB27]

Please follow these steps to change to Itemized Deduction:

1. Open your return
2. Click on “Deduction and Credits” tab on top
3. Scroll down and click "Done with deductions"
4. Continue until you get to the "Standard Deduction is right for you" page
5. Check the box  next to "Change my deduction"

Standard deductions for 2020 

• Single - $12,400 add $1,650 if age 65 or older
• Married Filing Separately - $12,400 add $1,300 if age 65 or older
• Married Filing Jointly - $24,800 add $1,300 for each spouse age 65 or older
• Head of Household - $18,650 add $1,650 if age 65 or older

Possible Itemized Deductions are:

• Medical and dental costs above and beyond 7.5% of your AGI 
• State, local, real estate, and personal property taxes ($10,000 limit)
• Home mortgage interest
• Charitable donations and gifts

[VolvoGirl]

Can you explain why you want to override the Standard Deduction?  You mean switch to Itemized Deductions?  Are your Itemized Deductions more?  It should automatically take your Itemized Deductions if they are more.  

Or are you filing Married filing Separate and want to take a lower amount?  

Is it telling you the Standard Deduction is more than your Itemized Deductions?  The questions I've seen turn out that the Standard Deduction + the extra 300 for charity is more than your Itemized Deductions .  Check 1040 line 10b.

And Don't confuse itemized deductions on schedule A with your business expenses/deductions on schedule C. They are separate.

[DHA1]

If I itemize my deductions my Maryland tax of $837 is reduced to zero with no increase in my federal tax.  TurboTax calls this an override and will not let me file electronically.

[NCperson]

Then you must paper file.   Be aware that the federal return will take 6-9 months to process due to the IRS backlogs.

Maryland requires you to be consistent.  Both federal and state need to be standard deductions or both need to be itemized. 

So you have determined that itemizing on both returns yields a better outcome than taking the standard deduction on both?  

if you overrode the standard deduction on the federal return so that MD and federal are both consistent, and Turbo Tax states that violates their 'override' rules, then sounds like a paper file is in order. 

[camatt]

I would like to override the standard deduction so that I can input the 2023 amount when I use a copy of my 2022 file to estimate my 2023 taxes.  I can override the Schedule A amount and force the use of the itemized deduction but that affects my state (CA) return that needs to use the true itemized amount since its standard deduction is much lower than federal.  It would be nice if Turbotax included a detailed forecasting tool for next years taxes.

[ErnieS0 · Accepted solution]

TurboTax does have tools to help you forecast. You don't say whether you are using TurboTax Online or CD/Download.

You can estimate your tax liability in both products.

Here's what to do:

1. Type w-4 in Search (magnifying glass) in the top right corner
2. Select Jump to w-4
3. On "Adjust How Much Tax You Pay" say NO
4. On "Review Your Estimates?" say Review Now
5. On "Enter 2023 Itemized Deductions" add your estimates

CD/Download also has a What-If fundction.

1. Type Forms in the top right corner
2. Tap Open Form at the top of the left column
3. Type what-if in Search and select the What-if Worksheet, then tap Open Form
4. At the bottom you will see Itemized Deduction Summary where you can enter up to three different scenarios
5. Tap Step-by-Step in the top right where Forms used to be when you are done to return to the interview mode

@camatt

[Joymaker]

I'm using Desktop, and the Forms (not EasyStep) approach.  I find it impossible to enter 12,950 (or anything) in line 12 for Standard Deduction.  It remains blank and can't be overridden.  I don't want to do the Schedule A details, I already know.  What to do?

[camatt]

Thank you. I used to use the what if tool years ago but thought it had been discontinued. Didn’t think to simply search for it. Maybe it should be displayed in the main forms list like other information worksheets. I just  played with the what-if tool al little and it does seem useful.

[TeresaM21093]

Does anyone know this simple answer.   I don't have hours to plead through the system and the phone tree and the sale pressure for one simple answer.

Turbo Tax hides everything.   In Maryland you toggle back and forth between ID vs SD and in the aggregate sometimes it is more beneficial to itemize with less which changes Maryland.

All Turbo Tax instructions say things that are not there.  There is no Screen 25.  There is no choice at the bottom of deductions.  The Help screens and topic lists are like phone bots programmed for basic only.,  This is an IMPORTANT tax saving feature for some states that should be available.

Please . . . does anyone know.

[TeresaM21093]

BECAUSE in states with a gradient tax structure toggling back and forth can save you a lot of money.   In Maryland we test that toggle for every return files.   Sometimes by choosing itemized when SD seems better that forces the state to recalculate and in the aggregate you save money.  Perfectly legal BUT in Turbo Tax if there is a choice it is hidden and that means people lose.

[ee-ea]

@TeresaM21093 

https://ttlc.intuit.com/turbotax-support/en-us/help-article/tax-credits-deductions/change-standard-d...

[DaveF1006]

If you wish to choose to itemize in Maryland, you must itemize your federal taxes. Although you may receive a better return in your Maryland return, your federal return may not be as favorable. You can try both deductions to see what your overall tax return looks like after comparing your federal and state return.

To change from standard to itemized, go to federal>deductions and credits. Scroll through the screens until you reach the end of the section where it says the Standard Deduction is right for You. Here you can change from Standard to Itemized.

Try both the standard and itemized to examine the overall effect in your return and see which deduction is beneficial to you after weighing the changes between your federal and state return.  Here is what the screen should look like.

@TeresaM21093