real estate tax deduction

[rickn]

The Turbo Tax program does not allow me to type in the amount of real estate taxes for my primary residence in 2019. It shows a "0" and does not allow an override. The total of mortgage interest and $10,000 limit on re taxes is less than $27,000 - however, that limit will be exceeded after I add the amount of charitable deductions paid in 2019.

[KathrynG3]

It depends. If there is an amount posted from your Form 1098 Mortgage interest expense reporting, it may be thinking the amount is already captured. Check if there is any detail included about real estate taxes in Form 1098. 

If this is not your issue, I recommend deleting and re-adding the real estate taxes related fields or checking your worksheets in Forms mode to determine what is blocking your entry.

[SteamTrain]

@rickn     IF you are using the Desktop/download software

Whenever you see a "$0" that you cannot seem to change (an actual zero, not just a "$", and only when using the desktop Windows software )...a "Supporting Details" sheet is attached to that entry, usually transferred in from last year, but after the actual $$ entries were stripped out.

Problem is that TTX reprogrammed that page such that the "Supporting Details" page doesn't pop up like it used to...so several ways to work around  it until they get it fixed (.......reported a couple years ago and no action).

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Here's what I think is happening  (#1,2,3 below)...and how to fix it (#4 below).

1)  In 2018 you added "Supporting Details" to each of those fields where you encounter a locked "$0"...probably to describe  when & how paid it in some prior year.

2)  The Supporting Details sheets (empty) transferred into your 2019 file from your 2018 file.

3)  The Supporting Details are supposed to pop up as soon as you attempt to enter a value during the Interview...but it doesn't.  (Software Bug).

4) Workarounds  : 

4a)  double-click in the field and the Supporting Details sheet pops up and you can either delete it (hit the big red "X"), and now make an entry...or you can use the SuppDetails worksheet to enter your $$....OR...

4b)   Put your cursor in the box, and then go to the top menu on the screen and click on <Edit....then <<Add Supporting Details from the drop-down menu.  IF the SuppDet box shows up you can either add your entry in there...or hit the Red "X" to delete the whole SupDet worksheet and then make your normal entry.....or...

4c)  Put your cursor on the box....switch to Forms Mode...., and enter the payment  directly in the worksheet.   You can also delete the Supporting Details sheet entirely (look for the REMOVE "X" when it pops up)..once that is done, you can make entries using the interview again..

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and there are other places ..like Medical Expenses, and Federal Quarterly Estimated Tax Payments ...where the same "$0" issue "might" pop up....but only if you used Supporting Details in the past