Charitable Cash Contribution Too Large

[tparma]

I have itemized deductions. Contributions are significantly less than my AGI. But I'm still getting the error that the cash contributions are too large.  No single contribution was larger than $250.

[tparma]

To clarify, I had deleted the $300 standard deduction and the contributions are approximately 5% of my AGI. Message still appears. 

[Cynthiad66]

Please ensure that you entered the cash contribution while claiming the Standard Deduction not under the Itemized Deduction. 

Please follow these steps to enter the charitable cash contribution for 10b :

1. Login to your TurboTax Account 
2. Click "Federal" from the left side of your screen
3. Click “Deductions &Credits” on the top
4. Scroll all the way down and click the "Wrap up tax breaks" button
5. Continue until the "Charitable Cash Contributions under Cares Act" screen
6. Enter your charitable cash contributions.

For this year, even if you don’t itemize, you may take a charitable deduction of up to $300 for cash contributions made in 2020 to qualified organizations.

You're not allowed to deduct cash or property given directly to another person, family, or group that isn't a qualified organization.

[edited 2/8/21 | 3:41 pst]

[tparma]

Cynthia, thank you for the response, but it doesn't answer my question.

I am using TurboTax Deluxe 2020 on a Mac and just updated it.  I have entered all of my information and qualify for itemized deductions. Line 10b on my 1040 is blank.  The entry on Line 12 of the 1040 is just over $36K.  My Schedule A Line 11 shows $15K+ and Line 12 shows $1K.  

When I run the error check, I still get the message, "Check This Entry - 1040/1040SR Wks: Cash Charitable is too large.  Cash Charitable = 15,255."  I don't understand why it's giving me this message.

[DaveF1006]

What is your income on Line 11 of your 1040?

[tparma]

Dave, the amount on Line 11 of my 1040 is over $350,000.

[ReneeM7122]

This is a known software issue.  The workaround is to delete the $300 in the error check. Then go back to Deductions & Credits and enter the contribution there, in the Donations to Charity topic. Then click Done with Donations and proceed through the screens until you get to the screen that tells you that TurboTax has added in the contribution.

The contribution will be back on Form 1040 line 10b, but it won't be flagged as an error. It only gets flagged if you enter it when prompted after you finish Deductions & Credits and the software tells you that you are getting the standard deduction. It will not get flagged if you enter it in Donations to Charity.

[tparma]

I don't have $300 in the error check. I have itemized deductions.

• My AGI is over $300K
• My cash deductions are $15K
• I don't have an entry on 1040 line 10b; it is blank
• Schedule A line 11 is $15K
• Schedule A line 12 is $1K
• Schedule A line 17 if $36K

I'm still getting the error that my cash deductions are too large.

[ReneeM7122]

Please try these steps:

1. Click Deductions and Credits
2. Select Review/Edit
3. Click Edit to the right of Standard Deduction
   ​​Click OK, Sounds Good
4. Click Wrap Up Tax Breaks
5. Click Continue
6. Make sure that $300 is filled in and then click Continue
7. Click Lets Keep Going

If the error persists, then go through the next work around.

Here is the second work around for claiming the Charity Deduction:

1. In TurboTax select Federal in the panel on the left
2. Select Deductions & Credits at the top of the page
3. Under Your Tax Breaks - Charitable Donations 
4. Click START to the right of Donations to Charity in 2020
5. Click YES
6. Click ADD next to Money
7. Type in the name of the charity that you donated to
8. Type the amount of the donation
9. Select Done with Donation
10. Select Done

Now the deduction should appear on Line 10B and in the Charitable Contributions screen.

[AlejandroCAnup]

I had three individual charities listed in the charities section, however I was receiving an error that i needed to "review" when i tried to efile. When I consolidated the charities from 3 into 1 entry, the error went away and I was able to complete my e-filing. I just put the name of all three charities in the entry, and the combined amount. 

[halooie1]

Thank you@ReneeM7122, this worked for me.  How canTurboTax leaving this known bug in their software?  

[upsetclient]

Same thing happened to me...I was unable to proceed with e-filing because of the glitch, so I had to enter ZERO, which changed my refund amount.  thanks Turbo Tax!!!

[upsetclient]

This did not work for me, I had to enter ZERO so I could proceed with e-filing my taxes.

[upsetclient]

I went this route and it still did not work.  I entered ZERO just so I could proceed with e-filing and submit my taxes.  By doing so, my refund was reduced by $40, which is a big deal to me!!!

[halooie1]

So sorry to hear that, @upsetclient.  Maybe I should have been clearer. I had enumerate my charitable contributions.  I found no way to get the credit without doing so, although there should be a way to do that.