Turbo Tax recommended that i use itemized deductions but the review says it used standard deduction for federal and state . please explain

[Melaine]

Both itemized and standard deductions will reduce your taxable income, but only one can be use each year.  After entering your data for the itemized deduction, TurboTax will choose the one that reduces your income the most and that must have been the standard deduction, hence it was the one applied to your return.  To learn more about the differences between the two, please see the TurboTax FAQ below.

https://ttlc.intuit.com/replies/3302313

[hazelwoods]

I have this problem too. Your statement doesn't address our problem. Turbo Tax says on step by step that Itemized Deductions are better for me (and I agree as they are slightly higher than standard), however, in the forms and at the summary at the end it is still giving me the standard deduction only. I went to forms and it won't let me change it there either even though the Itemized Deductions on Schedule A is higher. Help!

[JamesG1]

@hazelwoods

In TurboTax Online, you may change from standard deduction to itemized deductions by following these directions:

• Down the left side of the screen, click on Federal.
• Across the top of the screen, click on Deductions & credits.
• At the screen Your tax breaks, scroll all the way to the bottom.
• Click on Wrap up tax breaks.
• Continue through a few screens and you get a screen Based on what you told us…..is best for you, you click on the link at the bottom Show me the breakdown of my itemized deductions.
• At this screen you can see whether the software selected standard deduction or itemized deductions. 

There is also the link Change my deduction.  Please read through these links carefully.

Some states will allow you to file standard deduction on your Federal tax return but itemize on your state tax return.  See also this TurboTax Help.

[hazelwoods]

I appreciate the reply,  but I did try all of that to no avail. I discovered the reason it kept putting me back to standard though - it was because the extra $300 the CARES act lets you add on to the standard deduction for charitable donations was bumping my standard deduction just over my itemized deduction. It is not clearly outlined or explained, however, on Turbo Tax. I had to do some googling to discover this, plus another helpful member of the community later pointed this out as well. In the end it was forcing me into the correct deduction, it just doesn't explain it well at all.

[AmyR]

I am having this problem also, with the CD version.   I do not know where to find the information referred to in the online version.   Is that info available in the CD version and can you please tell me where to find it?

Thank you.

[VolvoGirl]

For the Desktop program

If it's giving you the Standard Deduction and  not showing you Schedule A you can check it 4 ways.

1 You can switch to Forms Mode and open A from the top of the left column.  Click on Open Form and pick schedule A out of the US list on the right side.

2 The easiest way is to go up to Show Topic List on the top bar and scroll down the list to

Standard Deduction vs Itemized Deductions

That takes you directly to the

The Standard [or Itemized] Deduction is Right for You screen

3 You can check the actual amount of itemized deductions by going up to Search and type in

itemized deductions, choosing

Then click on Jump to itemized deductions

Click on "Change my deduction.

4 OR go up to Federal (Personal for H&B)

Deductions and Credits

Click on Done with Deductions at bottom

Continue on though 3 screens and you will get to the Standard Deduction is right for You screen

That will display the actual amount of itemized deductions vs. the standard deduction.    (Be sure to uncheck "Change my deduction" after checking it so you do not lock in the wrong deduction.

[MarilynG1]

If TurboTax used the Standard Deduction for your return, it was determined by your entries that this was more advantageous for you.

In the Desktop edition, click on FORMS at the upper right and review your Schedule A to see if the total is less than the Standard Deduction amount.

This link gives instructions for How to Switch from Standard to Itemized Deductions (or vice versa) for the Desktop version.

Here's a link showing Standard Deduction Amounts.

The IRS is not open for Efiling until January 24th, so you have time to work with your deductions/credits. 

[AmyR]

Thank you - I finally realized I have the same situation described by hazelwoods.   However, it seems odd to me that if Turbo Tax can do that calculation because it knows the contributions I entered, why doesn't it put that amount into the 1040 SR?    It shows up as an error message.  

But thanks for the info, much appreciated.