I want to itemize my deductions, the system keeps defaulting to standard even though I get the same amount no matter how its filed how do i fix this?

[Mike9241]

TurboTax is supposed to optimize between itemized deductions and the standard deduction. However, if your filing status is married filing separately both must use the same method.  If your status is not MFS why do you want to itemize? you may be overlooking some rule that with reduce the gross amounts of the itemized deduction categories such as medical expenses reduced by 7.5% of adjusted gross income, the deduction for taxes might be reduced from if mAGI is over $500K, morthage interest may be lilimited if mortgage debt exceeds the cap. contributions are limited. there are no more 2% misc itmized deductions. 

[SteamTrain]

And...in cases where your "taxable" income is reduced to zero no matter which deduction method is used....if you do force it to "itemized" this year, then your 2025 state tax refund might become Federal taxable income next year.

Ignoring the MFS issue, the one reason I can see where a person might want to force "itemized" is if their Charity Contributions exceed the AGI limits for this year's taxes....and the excess not used would carry over to next year.  I don't know if that situation is built in to the software's decision as to which one is to be used, but would likely only occur if their Income was close to their Std Deduction in the first place.