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Level 2
January 22, 2022
Solved

Charitable donations with standard deduction

  • January 22, 2022
  • 13 replies
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Here's the situation: I made 2 donations in 2021, one for $100 and one for $300-- entered all the info under deductions.  TurboTax chose standard deduction for me as best option.  I finish my taxes and go to do smart check and i have an error: "1040/1040SR Wks: Charitable contributions: Charitable contributions has an unacceptable value."  Then it shows a box with 300. and a label Charitable contributions.

 

What am I supposed to do?

 

I understand that I can only claim $300 deduction if taking standard deduction, but TT keeps showing an error?

 

Thanks

    Best answer by DoninGA

    Using the TurboTax desktop editions -

    To remove the error I went into Forms mode and deleted the Charitable Organization Worksheets.  Then on the Form 1040 Worksheet for Line 12b removed the $300 amount so Line 12b is now blank (empty).

    Going back to Step-by-Step I completed the Deductions & Credits section without entering anything for a charitable donation and click on Done with Deductions.  Continuing through the screens until landing on the screen labeled Charitable Cash Contributions under Cares Act, I entered $300.  Continued through Final Review without error.

     

    For the TurboTax online editions -

     

    The problem appears to be that a charitable donation was entered in the Deductions and Credits section of the program when you are only eligible for the Standard Deduction.

    Click on Tax Tools on the left side of the online program screen

    Click on Tools

    Click on Delete a form

    Scroll through the all the forms, schedules and worksheets listed and delete all the Charitable Organization forms listed.

    When completed with removing forms click on Continue With My Return at the bottom of the list.

     

    Click on Federal on the left side of the screen

    Click on Deductions & Credits at the top of the screen

    Scroll down to the bottom of the page and click on Wrap up tax breaks

     

    Continue through the screens.  After the screen showing that you are getting the Standard Deduction the following screen is Charitable Cash Contributions under Cares Act.  Enter $600 if filing Jointly or $300 for all other filing status'.  The federal review and the Final Review should no longer show an error for the charitable donation.

    13 replies

    Level 3
    February 24, 2022

    While I could itemize deductions for my 2021 return, I will not do so, since the standard deduction is better for me. Same as I did last year, I entered the specific cash charitable contributions rather than just the total. When I go to wrap up tax breaks, the total charitable amount is reflected there and when Turbo checks the return, I get no charitable errors. Based on reading this thread, I should delete the specific contributions and just enter the total. Is this still necessary? I prefer listing the individual contributions as backup in the return. 

    Level 2
    February 24, 2022

    You do not need to delete the specific contributions and just enter the total. Itemizing to specific contributions has nothing to do with the programming error being discussed here.  Know however that even if you elect to take the standard deduction, you can also take a contribution deduction of up to $300 ($600 if married). 

    Level 3
    March 25, 2022

    There's still remains an error about this issue in the Turbo Tax program (Turbo Tax Premier, updated yesterday, 3/24/2022).  At the end of Deductions & Credits under Federal Taxes, after entering Done with Deductions, and pressing Continue twice, you come to the page Here are Your 2020 and 2021 Deductions & Credits, which is a summary of your situation.  That page shows a list of your individual deductions (Standard Deduction, Charitable Cash Contributions, and possibly others), and the last line, "Total Deductions."  The error is that the "Total Deductions" is not the correct sum of the individual deductions (For me, for 2021, the individual items were not summed, but the value entered as "Total Deductions" was just the Standard Deduction -- leaving the impression that the program was ignoring the Charitable Cash Contributions).  I talked to a Turbo Tax rep, and he denied that the "Total Deductions" should be the sum of the individual items!!!!!!!!!!!!  

    At any rate, despite the fact that this interface page of the program is in error, the entries on the actual 1040 form appear to be correct! 


    Since I didn't have to itemize, I simply persistently did an override to get my 600 to stick. and I am ready to file.

    Yet another problem is the Social Security Benefits Worksheet. It comes to the right answer to carry to 1040 BUT all the lines (calculations) are left blank except for first and last figures.  Just the accountant in me, if you have a blank worksheet then you don't have a worksheet for your records. bah!

    Level 2
    April 6, 2022

    If I didn't already know about this deduction I would have missed it entirely! I suspect many people will. I finally found it on the 1040 form itself and entered my $600.

     

    Turbotax should be ashamed for not making this easy! An update is desperately needed!

     

    Level 2
    April 13, 2022

    not updating taxes

    Level 15
    April 13, 2022

    @sarber12  What is not updating on your taxes?

    **Say "Thanks" by clicking the thumb icon in a post. **Mark the post that answers your question by clicking on "Mark as Best Answer"
    Level 3
    April 13, 2022

    Charitable donation with Standard deduction

    Back in March2022, received a online updat to TurboTax  (I have the CD TurboTax). THis corrected issue  with

    1040SR : Standard deduction and $600 (donation added to line 12b). What this update - prompt saying you are getting "Federal Standard deduction", Next prompt "CaresACT" would prompt you to enter donations $600 (for joint return)

     

    Prior to this update: I had to delete all charitable donation, than go to step by step (On turbotax) and enter $600 and on line 12b enter $600.00. For state tax -If you do it this way, you need to go to step by step, and enter charitable amount in the state tax reutrn.

    Go the Preview  for Tax form - to verify standard deduction  (12a)  and CaresAct $600.00 is on 1040.

    And verify Total donation are on your State Tax.

     

    Check to see if TurboTax sent you a download - update.  Every time I open my TurboTax - I usually get a prompt of available updates.  Updates are not automatically  - you need tookay update when prompted.

     

    Good luck