TurboTax forced me to take itemized deduction which was less than half the value of my standard deduction, and lied that my spouse took itemized deduction.

[leenkrshna]

In reality he had not started his returns at all and was surprised that TT forced my to take itemized deductions

[DoninGA]

The program would only select Itemized Deductions if they were greater than the Standard Deduction for your filling status.

Click on Federal on the left side of the program screen.

Click on Deductions & Credits.

Scroll down to the bottom of the page and click on Continue

Go through interview until you land on the page Based on what you just told us showing the amounts for the Standard Deduction and Itemized Deductions.  Which one was selected?  Is the one selected greater than the other amount?

If not then select Change my deduction

[MonikaK1]

If you and your spouse are using Married Filing Separately filing status, then you either both need to itemize your deductions, or you both use the standard deduction for Married Filing Separately, which is $12,950 for 2022 if under age 65.

Review your entries in the Personal Info section of TurboTax. These entries determine what filing status TurboTax will use and whether TurboTax will use itemized deductions or the standard deduction. 

When you select Married Filing Separately, TurboTax asks follow-up questions. If you select that either you or your spouse itemize deductions, TurboTax displays the following statement: "Note: You both must itemize your deductions on each of your returns, or both of you must take the standard deduction. If only one of you wants to itemize, you should consider filing as Married Filing Jointly."

Depending on other factors, it may still be better to file jointly. If you live in a community property state (Arizona, California, Idaho, Louisiana, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas, Washington, and Wisconsin), you will need to split your community income evenly even if filing separately; the rules vary by state. Also, some tax benefits aren't available for Separate filing status.

You can use TurboTax Online to test different scenarios before deciding to file jointly or separately. Click here for more information from TurboTax on how to decide which filing status to choose.

Click here for tax tips for community property states.

[leenkrshna]

Hi  DoninGA

Thanks for your reply. Unfortunately I proceeded to file despite the confusing force to itemized deductions.

There was no interview question and no option to choose std deduction while filing the first time.

The interview questions were mainly for my Schedule C

Is this happening because of married filing separately , Self-Employed ?

Now I am trying to do an ammendment, and it does not ask any interview questions, and no way to select std deduction anywhere , even if I start from the beginning.

thanks

Leena

[leenkrshna]

Thank you MonikaK1. To my knowledge I did not select "Either one of us wants to take itemized deduction"  while filing the first time. 

I suspect the route it took for my business expenses may have done this.

[fanfare]

the MFS forcing function is in the Personal Info Section.

you would mark that your spouse did not itemize (assuming you both take the Standard deduction).

@leenkrshna