Why don't I get a mileage deduction on a car I stopped using in November? It initially gives me it, but disappears when I hit continue. If I lie about selling, it stays.

[andrewabranch]

I have tried both ways. If I don't check that I stopped using the car in 2020 (in November), the glitch doesn't happen. If I *do* check that I stopped using it in 2020, it still tells me I get the mileage deduction *UNTIL* I hit "continue" on the Ka-ching page. Then it disappears. I hit *back* and it tells me I don't qualify for the mileage deduction. It doesn't tell me why. It shouldn't matter if I sell my car or not. I don't want to have to stop using TurboTax but I might have to.

[AmyC]

I wonder if you need to clear cookies and cache if you are using the online version. Otherwise, to have the credit and then be taken may be a few options:

• You must have tracked your work miles to take the deduction. 
• Please verify the dates you started and stopped using the vehicle. A typo could change your ability to deduct.
• Actual vs standard- did you choose or the computer program? If actual is empty and you chose it, that would take the deduction.
• Reimbursement for mileage?
• job related or business related? Job related no longer qualifies. Law change affects moving, mileage and travel expenses

Please go back through the program and check your answers. The program works in stages. Give one minute and take the next when you no longer qualify. We need to find that issue. Please reply back with any more information or insight for us to help.

You may fill this form out for someone to call you that can look through the program with you.

[andrewabranch]

I'm using online, Google Chrome. I did not trade in the car.  I narrowed down the issue. 

The issue is hinging on me checking the box that I sold/disposed of the car in 2020. If I don't check that box, the glitch doesn't happen. 

I track my miles and check the exact same boxes for the other car in exactly the same way. That's the only difference. I did lose the photo I took of my odometer at the beginning of the year, but that's only for the math. I guestimated where it was before my March oil change. Lyft/Uber keep track of the work miles. 

I sold the vehicle 12/11/2020. Stopped using it for work 11/20/20. 

I chose the standard deduction, just like the other car. And just like every other year I've done Uber (drove way more pre-pandemic in 2019). It initially gives me the $200 in the ticker, then takes it away when I hit continue. 

The only change is checking the box that I stopped using the car in 2020. If I uncheck that, it keeps the deduction. 

I wonder if I've gerry-rigged it now, because I went through and checked the proper boxes so it appears everything is there, but essentially skipped to a different section rather than hitting continue. So it never took the deduction away. 

[andrewabranch]

If I think I've gerry-rigged by jumping a section, should I just leave it for now? As far as I can tell, it still has all the relevant information, noting the sale of my car as income, etc. 

[AmyC]

Yes, the program has a work flow that it follows behind the scenes and skipping around can sometimes cause an issue. In that case, you should file what is correct and claim the credit. If for some reason you are audited, the answer will be correct, just not the date of sale. Dollars are more important than dates in this case.

The IRS says you are to take every deduction to which you are entitled.

[harleyjj]

This same thing happens to me.  I had 4 business vehicles last year and sold 3 of them.  The 3 I sold get their mileage deductions wiped out.  It also treats the sale price as a total gain down to the cent - there is no way to factor in the original price of the cars, which were substantially higher in all cases - so they most certainly were not profitable gains when selling.  I used TurboTax last year too, with 2 of the cars being in the TurboTax system.  There is more than one glitch in this flow. How do we report bugs?

[andrewabranch]

Basically, I ended up gerry-rigging it. I get my deduction as if I didn't sell it, then I go back and make sure those boxes are checked and X out of it/switch sections before I hit "continue" where it wipes it out. As far as I can tell, I still have my gains reported on the car (it was gifted to me, so I don't have an initial buying price issue), and I still have it reported that it's sold, but I still have the mileage deduction. I don't think my forms will report any false information. 

[WendyN2]

No, they will not be reporting anything false. As a side note that I did not see mentioned, the IRS merely uses these dates to determine long term gains/losses versus short term gains/losses for all assets. Therefore, you performed the correct work flow that the IRS needs.