Charitable contribution has unacceptable value

[HelenC12]

There is a known issue that produces the message, Charitable contributions has an unacceptable value.  Our team is working to fix the software.  In the meantime, here are some workaround steps that you can try right now: 

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.

How the CARES act changes deducting charitable contributions made in 2020

Previously, charitable contributions could only be deducted if taxpayers itemized their deductions.

• However, taxpayers who don't itemize deductions may take a charitable deduction of up to $300 for cash contributions made in 2020 to qualifying organizations. For the purposes of this deduction, qualifying organizations are those that are religious, charitable, educational, scientific or literary in purpose. The law changed in this area due to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act.

Keep in mind, it is very important to keep records of your charitable contributions.  If the IRS asks about them later, they will be denied if you don't have a record, receipt, letter, etc.

Source: ReneeM7122

[Optimistic949]

This doesn't work in premier 

[Cynthiad66]

 Yes. There is an issue with the contributions deduction and TurboTax is working to fix it.  We do not have an estimated date of correction, at this time.  I suggest you check back often to see if the correction has been made.

There is a problem with the Contributions section of the Itemized deductions and also the above the line $300.00 deduction.  Because of the many changes due to the CARES Act, IRS is still developing the forms and publications on this issue.  Last update was January 13th where everything is still in draft.  Once IRS finalizes the forms, we will be able to update TurboTax to accurately reflect your Contributions deduction.

Here are some of the changes due to the CARES ACT

The new legislation allows tax deductions on two types of charitable gifts. First, it allows up to $300 given to a qualified charity to be claimed as an above-the-line deduction. After the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, which went into effect in 2018, increased the standard deduction, many taxpayers had less incentive to donate to charities. Instead, they took the standard deduction and stopped itemizing.

For taxpayers who will itemize deductions, the CARES Act effectively suspends the limit on deductions for cash contributions to public charities for 2020.  “That allows individuals to completely wipe out their AGI, and their tax liability, with a charitable contribution.

[Dennisp17]

The work around for Deluxe does not work.  Very disappointing that the simplest return I am preparing for my 92 year old mother cannot be completed for such a silly error in the coding.  You guys clearly did not do your work.  H&R here I come!

[Dennisp17]

Now I see there is also a phantom $1 gift to charity in the form and the step by step.  You cannot find the entry to delete it.  Really, really disappointed this year.  Also,  the increase for added state went up, nice.

[ReneeM7122]

There is a known issue that produces the message, Charitable contributions has an unacceptable value."  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 please try the following:

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.

Thirdly, here is another way that might work for you:

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.

How the CARES act changes deducting charitable contributions made in 2020

Previously, charitable contributions could only be deducted if taxpayers itemized their deductions.

However, taxpayers who don't itemize deductions may take a charitable deduction of up to $300 for cash contributions made in 2020 to qualifying organizations. For the purposes of this deduction, qualifying organizations are those that are religious, charitable, educational, scientific or literary in purpose. The law changed in this area due to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act.

[allylovich]

you're helping no one. It literally doesn't work.

[grushko]

Hi,

I have the same problem. Please post a solution for download version of TurboTax.

I called Intuit 3 times and the calls get disconnected when they realize they cant help. They also don't acknowledge there is an issue.

[abc15]

TDLR; Solution by using online donation account.

None of the options worked for me. And my TurboTax 2020 desktop app had "Change my deduction" > "Itemized deductions... $[prefilled amount]" which took off 2k from my refund.. and didn't solve the problem. I tried going into the forms and manually changing numbers around. Nothing.

SOLUTION for me: After hours of frustration and anguish reading all these responses with no solution. I went and created an account online for their new donation portal ItsDeductibleOnline.com and meticulously re-entered every charity and every single thing I donated. Then, deleted all of the entries in my TurboTax charitable donations section, and imported entries from ItsDeductibleOnline account.

What it did: It changed my refund because it actually pushed some of my donations to next year overflow, which I guess the TurboTax app didn't do originally? So it didn't put the max 300 in the field for donation amount, but added forms with the overflowed donations for you to claim in 2021.

[RolandHTG]

This worked for me.  Hope it works for you.

I closed out of the program and went back to review my Deductions and selected Charitable deductions.

I use Turbo Tax to file both federal and state returns.  It looks like (as far as I can tell) it had seen that I gave $10 last year on my state return to one of the charities that NC allows you to donate part of your refund too.  Apparently it wanted me to enter $10.00 under Charity based on last years NC tax return data it had.  Once I did that, it accepted my federal return and let me file.  

Check last years Turbo Tax filing (if you used it last year).  See if you donated any portion of your state refund to any charitable groups,  If you did, try entering that number in there.

[DMIT6807]

FYI: Had similar issues completing my TurboTax (TT) 1040 because TT software allowed me to manually enter charitable contributions twice. One entry did not override the other. This was the "bug" for me. First, if you are manually entering itemized deductions under "Deductions and Credits", TT is building Schedule A to compare itemized deductions to the "Standard Deduction" for your filing status to determine which is best for you. Second, in a subsequent section when you are informed you can deduct up to $300.00 (depends on your filing status) without itemizing. This amount is added to Schedule 1. After I removed my first manually entered charitable tax deduction under "Deductions and Credits" the software accepted the allowed deduction that does not require Schedule A for itemizing. 

[0scarMayerWeiner]

After talking to THREE TurboTax specialists, the fourth one was able to figure it out for me. I had both monetary and goods as charitable donations. I had $150 worth of monetary donations and $50 worth of goods donated to charity, so the total charitable contributions were $200. I tried $200 and $200.00 and I still got the dreaded "unacceptable value" box. I also tried 0, 0.00, $140, $300, $50, whatever numerical value I was feeling and nothing worked! 

The solution that FINALLY worked for me was just entering my monetary donation amount, or $150.  So just add your monetary donations and disregard anything else!

[stremaine]

I had the same problem.  Here's what worked for me: 

- go to "forms" and open "1040/1040SR worksheet"

- click on line 10 b

- this opens up a worksheet containing all of your cash charitable donations. In my case these added up to more than $300.

- add a line, donating to the fictitious charity "Turbotax is stupid". Put in a NEGATIVE amount so that the sum of all the contributions equals $300 exactly.

- close the worksheet

[anhle78]

Thank you that worked!!!