Problem with Real Estate Taxes

[ScottyJ]

Hoping someone can help.

I entered real estate taxes for my home in the Home Office section (total $8000).  In the home office section, it allocates part of that to the home office (e.g. $600 of the $8000).  When I then move on to the personal income section and look at property tax deduction, it shows -$600 (negative $600).  Where is the rest (e.g the $7400)?  It does not show up in the real estate taxes paid in the personal section.

Also, how do I know if these real estate taxes are "excess" or not when I'm entering the home office part as it comes before the personal section.  

[DaveF1006]

 Did you physically put in the $8000 in a) in the personal return? b) and then in the home office?.  if you did, then Turbo tax will correctly allocate the expenses in both places.  See this Turbo Tax link for additional information.

[ScottyJ]

I entered the $8000 in the home office (excess tax) section first (it starts with business stuff first).  It allocates 600 to the home office.

When I look in the personal deductions section and click on the real estate taxes, the "commentary" says that I entered 8000, but when I look at the summary of data in the personal deductions it shows -600.  When you compare it to last year, last year shows the 7400.  So by comparison, it shows 2018 of 7400, 2019 of -600.

[AmeliesUncle]

Those summary screens in TurboTax are often confusing or wrong.  Look at Schedule A on your tax return.  Is the proper amount showing up on Line 5b?

[ScottyJ]

Thanks for everyone's help.  It did not show up on Sch A (actually Sch A was blank - not even the -600).  Finally got it to show up as I think it should.  When TT had me delete the RE tax info to put somewhere else (asking if you are going to itemize or use standard deduction before any of that data is in), it retained supporting sheet words (even though zeroed out) - therefore it recognized the "info" but not the data that carries forward.  So the number disappeared.  So really more of a program design issue.  Why not just put RE taxes in one place and have TT figure it out from there - currently (and there may be more) there are a potential 3 places to put the data - that is not a good thing.

One other note: never understood why the business section was before the personal section.  Never made sense to me, especially given that the personal section is a lot easier to do.  Been using TT 20+ years, just never understood that.

[KathrynG3]

It depends. The business section sometimes impacts the personal section, as it does here, in an effort to discourage entering the same information more than one time.

I appreciate your insight and your long held faith in TurboTax. It is well placed. 

For additional details about property taxes, see:

Can I take the home office deduction?

Click the link for the IRS explanation for Simplified Option for Home Office Deduction. It does not affect the depreciation of your home and is $5/sq. ft up to $1,500.

Residential Real Estate Tax and Rental Property - TurboTax Tax Tips & Videos

@ScottyJ