Why can't TT figure out 1040 Wks line 10 b by itself ?

[Chena]

I'm getting an error on review which complains that 1040 Wks line 10 b is blank.

Can TT not correctly figure out and automatically fill in 1040 Wks line 10 b by itself ?
Am I really supposed to have to switch from EasyStep to Forms view and manually fill in that line myself ?

I've entered my charitable and other deductions and the standard deduction is better for me than itemizing. My charitable deductions were more than $300 but shouldn't TT have all the information to put $300 into the 1040 Wks line 10 b for me ? (I mean it did figure out the standard deduction was better than itemizing)

[ReneeM7122]

If you are taking the standard deduction and TurboTax isn't automatically entering $300 for you, it might be because of the standard deduction vs. itemizing calculation going on behind the scenes.  The CARES Act allowed non-itemizers to get a $300 credit for the first time in 2020, while in the past giving charity was a tax benefit only for itemizers.  Please try the following:

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.

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.

[Chena]

Thanks for attempting to help me but your instructions don't align with what I see in Home&Business. I have been through the Deductions&Credits section several times but TT still leaves 1040 Wks line 10 b blank.

I can manually put $300 in myself from the Forms view/mode.

I simply consider this a bug in the TT software. Luckily one I have found and can easily manually fix.

I'm concerned more about the bugs which we don't find or that could have significant carry-on (potentially detrimental) effects when we try to manually fix them.

[VolvoGirl · Accepted solution]

Check out this one.  It might be the same as posted above or maybe is different.  To get the $300 Charity Deduction in addition to the Standard Deduction in the Desktop program, see this post
https://ttlc.intuit.com/community/taxes/discussion/re-2020-tax/01/1810277#M644012

[Chena]

Thanks for the link to the other suggestion. I had been picking and choosing to visit just the topics which applied to me. I went through the full Q&A process and, like the other post suggests, I got to a question about the CARES ACT charitable deduction available for those taking the standard deduction.