Itemized deductions for Hurricane Harvey are being included under a Standard Deduction of over $66,000. Is this normal?

[bnbontheroad]

I have input damages from Hurricane Harvey and Turbotax is showing a "Standard Deduction" of over $66,000.  I assumed that the Standard Deduction would not change and the damages would be itemized as a casualty loss.  Why is Turbotax listing the Standard Deduction so high and not listing as itemized deductions?

[JulieCo · Accepted solution]

Per the IRS Tax Law Provisions for Disaster Areas, "casualty and theft losses are generally deducted on Schedule A, Itemized Deductions, but, you may choose instead to increase your standard deduction by your qualified net hurricane disaster loss if you don’t itemize other deductions on Schedule A."   

This provision is part of the Disaster Tax Relief and Airport and Airway Extension Act of 2017. 

[lr4mandd]

this is exactly what I am trying to do, and turbo tax showed an increase in my standard deduction due to hurricane harvey losses but then tells me I have to use 1040 and will have to pay. That's just wrong and I'd rather do it on paper than be led into free filing only to be told incorrectly that I have to file 1040