California allows itemized deductions on the Schedule CA even if the taxpayer takes the standard deduction on the Federal Return. How can this be done with the software?

[Phillip1 · Accepted solution]

You enter all of your deductions on the Federal side, and the CA return will use those itemized deductions if the total amount of itemized deductions exceed the CA standard deduction. 

[robisonjim]

Thanks very much for the answer - makes sense.

[robisonjim]

Thanks very much for the answer - makes sense.

[rockcrawler1981]

How do you do this being I don't have enough to itemize for federal? I have to claim standard 24k for federal and want to itemize 14k for state

[robisonjim]

See above answer.  Just filed Fed ( std deduction) and State (itemized) and everything worked fine.

[rockcrawler1981]

Awesome thanks

[Yepper22]

A couple of related questions.

Let’s say I take the standard deduction for my federal tax return (first time).  But I itemize deductions for my California return.  Questions:

1. I don’t file federal Schedule A with my federal return – correct?
2. I do file a completed Schedule A with my California return as an attachment – correct?  (I’m assuming that’s why TurboTax printed out Schedule A at the end of my California return, even though the schedule says at the top to “Attach to Form 1040”.)

Thanks for your help.

[rhegli]

This is pretty clean, except for me TT entered a number for Schedule A line 5a which is less than my state taxes for the year.  Can't figure out why!

Year 2020

Taking the Federal standard deduction, took it in 2019 also.

Am an independent contractor, so my income is 1099-NEC

I made 4 estimated tax payments over the course of the year, on schedule

Let's say I paid $X in estimated state taxes...  TT entered $.953X (95.3%) on schedule A line 5a, and then used it on 540(CA)...

My question is why didn't TT just use my estimated taxes, what happened to the other 4.7%? 

I did make an estimated payment on 1/15/21, but I also made an estimated payment of the same amount on 1/15/20 for 2019...

Also, I did receive a 0.3X refund from the state in 2020 for 2019..

Thanks for any clarity you can bring to this!

Ron

[rhegli]

This is pretty clean, except for me TT entered a number for Schedule A line 5a which is less than my state taxes for the year.  Can't figure out why!

Year 2020

Taking the Federal standard deduction, took it in 2019 also.

Am an independent contractor, so my income is 1099-NEC

I made 4 estimated tax payments over the course of the year, on schedule

Let's say I paid $X in estimated state taxes...  TT entered $.953X (95.3%) on schedule A line 5a, and then used it on 540(CA)...

My question is why didn't TT just use my estimated taxes, what happened to the other 4.7%? 

I did make an estimated payment on 1/15/21, but I also made an estimated payment of the same amount on 1/15/20 for 2019...

Also, I did receive a 0.3X refund from the state in 2020 for 2019..

Thanks for any clarity you can bring to this!

Ron

[MarilynG1]

@Yepper22 Yes, TurboTax includes the Federal Schedule A with your California return to claim Itemized Deductions for California.

That's why it says 'attach to Form 1040', which you don't need to do since you are using the Standard Deduction on your Federal Return.

Click this link for more info on Schedule A. 

[MarilynG1]

@rhegli Your Estimated Tax Payment for 2021 is not included on the State and Local Tax Deduction Worksheet for Schedule A, only the 2020 and 2019 payment made in 2020 (screenshot). 

Your 2021 payment will be used on your 2021 return. 

Check your California Estimated Tax Worksheet to see the calculations.

Click this link for more info on Estimated Taxes.