Why sign in to the Community?

  • Submit a question
  • Check your notifications
Sign in to the Community or Sign in to TurboTax and start working on your taxes
New Member
posted Jan 12, 2021 1:53:58 PM

Should Form 1040 line 10b be blank? I made charitable contributions and took the standard deduction, but the final review says "charitable contributions should be blank"

When going through federal deductions, the page "Any Charitable Cash Contributions" says that I can deduct up to $300 for cash donations even when taking the standard deduction. When I do my final review, this gets flagged for review and I'm told this field has to be blank.

0 57 5263
1 Best answer
Level 15
Jan 12, 2021 1:57:04 PM

This is a known bug and has been reported.  Remove the amount as requested.

Go to the Charitable Donations section under Deductions & Credits to enter the $300 cash donation.  This will correct the problem.

 

To enter charitable donations -

  • Click on Federal Taxes (Personal using Home and Business)
  • Click on Deductions and Credits
  • Click on I'll choose what I work on (if shown)
  • Scroll down to Charitable Donations
  • On Donations to Charity in 2020, click on the start or update button

Or enter charitable donation in the Search box located in the upper right of the online program screen. Click on Jump to charitable donation

24 Replies
Level 15
Jan 12, 2021 1:57:04 PM

This is a known bug and has been reported.  Remove the amount as requested.

Go to the Charitable Donations section under Deductions & Credits to enter the $300 cash donation.  This will correct the problem.

 

To enter charitable donations -

  • Click on Federal Taxes (Personal using Home and Business)
  • Click on Deductions and Credits
  • Click on I'll choose what I work on (if shown)
  • Scroll down to Charitable Donations
  • On Donations to Charity in 2020, click on the start or update button

Or enter charitable donation in the Search box located in the upper right of the online program screen. Click on Jump to charitable donation

Level 2
Jan 12, 2021 2:52:06 PM

not fixed by entering a cash donation of 300 in the contributions section..  Should be but my copy on my desktop (windows 10) is up to date and I just tried the entry and it is not carried to 1040 line 10b..

Level 15
Jan 12, 2021 2:57:29 PM


@loyknight wrote:

not fixed by entering a cash donation of 300 in the contributions section..  Should be but my copy on my desktop (windows 10) is up to date and I just tried the entry and it is not carried to 1040 line 10b..


I am using the TurboTax Premier desktop edition for 2020 and if I enter a $300 Cash contribution in the Charitable Donations section and I am only getting the Standard Deduction, the amount is entered on the Form 1040 Line 10b with no error reported in Federal Review.

 

Make sure that your software is updated with the latest release.  Click on Online and then click on Check for Updates.

Level 2
Jan 12, 2021 3:03:59 PM

I checked for updates there were none it said my software was uptodate.....  step by step deductions and credits sections shows the 300, i am using standard deduction but 1040 line 10b is blank....

New Member
Jan 12, 2021 3:26:33 PM

Thank you, clearing that field and then going back to add the donation through the page accessed from "Jump to charitable donation" caused TurboTax to autofill in that field, and it went through without any issue.

New Member
Jan 18, 2021 9:06:08 AM

I have the Home & Business software.  It is up-to-date, and it is not fixed on this software.  I entered the amounts as directed, took the standard deduction but it would not calculate line 10b.  Do I wait for an update?

Level 15
Jan 18, 2021 9:18:25 AM


@Jeepnyny2 wrote:

I have the Home & Business software.  It is up-to-date, and it is not fixed on this software.  I entered the amounts as directed, took the standard deduction but it would not calculate line 10b.  Do I wait for an update?


Once you complete the Deductions & Credits section and are told you are receiving the Standard Deduction the following pages will have the entry for the cash donation to a qualified charity.

 

Returning Member
Jan 24, 2021 9:24:43 AM

I have updated my software and this has still not been updated. 

Level 10
Jan 25, 2021 8:52:13 AM

This is a known issue that is now resolved.  

Here are the steps I recommend that you follow to have the $300 appear in Form 1040, Box 10b:

  1. Click Deductions and Credits
  2. Select Review/Edit
  3. Click Edit to the right of Standard Deduction
  4. Click OK, Sounds Good
  5. Click Wrap Up Tax Breaks
  6. Click Continue
  7. Make sure that $300 is filled in and then click Continue
  8. Click Lets Keep Going
  9. Now go to the 1040 Preview and your $300 should be on Line 10b.

     

Returning Member
Jan 25, 2021 10:07:20 AM

This issue has not been resolved for me. I have the desktop version for Home Business and I have made sure my software is up to date as well. 

Level 1
Jan 26, 2021 2:48:37 PM

This whole workaround thing is BS.  I have Premier, up to date.  The program should simply populate the $300 that I've input in the charitable contribution section and put it on line 10b!

New Member
Jan 30, 2021 6:31:05 PM

My software is up to date as of today, January 30, 2021. The $300 does not flow from charitable contributions to line 10b.

 

New Member
Jan 30, 2021 6:34:40 PM

I have the desktop version of Premier (Version [phone number removed]) and this problem is not resolved.

Expert Alumni
Jan 31, 2021 6:30:53 AM

It depends. The charitable donations may be added to line 10a if you have other adjustments to income from Schedule 1, line 22

 

If not, it appears to be working in TurboTax after testing. You must enter it in the charitable section as usual and then click the "wrap up deductions and credits" for it to pick the standard deduction and apply the $300 above the line. Keep in mind that if you itemize deductions your charitable donations will only be used there.

Check your entry by using Tax Tools.

  • To find Tools: 
    • Sign into your TurboTax account and open or continue your return. 
    • Select Tax Tools in the left menu. 
    • You'll find Tools beneath Tax Tools.
    • Select View Tax Summary
    • Select Preview My 1040 (left black panel)

 

New Member
Feb 5, 2021 1:33:28 PM

I still don't see what I need to do with box 10b if I file an itemized deduction. I followed the example with my actual charitable deduction shown where you have 500 (autofilled by TurboTax). I have left both the 300 in place and zeroed out the 300 and I still get the error. I have even put zeros in both areas and I still get the error. What should I do since TurboTax suggests I itemize my deductions? I see an error no matter what I do.

Expert Alumni
Feb 5, 2021 6:19:37 PM

If you are itemizing, box 10b should be blank. Line 10b is only for those taking the standard deduction. You should be entering charity as usual with nothing special to do. When the program says itemizing is best for you, it should leave line 10b alone.  You can fill this form out for someone to call you. You may need another set of eyes.

@kimnkim

Level 2
Feb 6, 2021 11:41:01 AM

I ALSO am itemizing for 2020. I work in the forms motif, not step-by-step, so please follow along by observing the following via forms view. TTax Deluxe (WIN) shows a pink box for Form 1040, Line 10b--AN ERROR! I cannot seem to correct it either, for if I put in the $300 (for std ded users, which I am not), the error goes away but the form automatically lowers my AGI, which makes my return incorrect!! The amount of my 2020 charitable deductions automatically appears BETWEEN lines 10a and 10b, flowing from the Charitable Contributions Summary form. So in a nutshell, it appears that I have filled out everything properly but TTax Deluxe is giving me an error on Line 10b (making me fill in an amount) when it apparently should not be telling me to do anything and instead of flagging this line as an error it just should accept it. HELP!!!!

New Member
Feb 6, 2021 12:07:48 PM

Thanks... I ended up closing down Turbo Tax completely and then reopened it. The 300 was still in the box but this time when I zeroed it out and reran the check it worked. The error was cleared. In my prior attempts to fix the issue I never closed down TT. FYI, no updates were loaded when I restarted TT. For whatever reason the restart seemed to allow me to resolve the issue. All is good now for me. Thanks for responding!  

Level 2
Feb 6, 2021 1:04:35 PM

Well I retraced your exact successful resolution and it did absolutely nothing for me--same exact error progression--so lucky you! In any case, I hope and trust that Intuit will be looking into this anomaly, as I cannot file my taxes by knowingly claiming and extra $300 deduction (LOL)! If Line 10b is left blank or I put in a zero, the error remains. If I put in 300, the error resolves but my taxes are incorrect--GO FIGURE! So Intuit, please HELP!!!!

Expert Alumni
Feb 7, 2021 10:59:42 AM

Try jumping over to Step-by-step to let TurboTax run the optimizer for deductions. It is important with this new deduction for the program to select which option, standard or itemizing, is best for you. To do this in TurboTax, go to Step-by-Step and follow these steps:

  • Under the Personal tab, select Deductions & Credits.
  • Select I'll choose what I work on 
  • Scroll down to Charitable Donations and select Donations to Charity in 2020 and select Update.
  • If everything looks good, select Done with Charitable Donations.
  • Scroll down to the bottom of the next page and select Done with Deductions and Continue.
  • Keep selecting Continue through the screens and adjusting any answers necessary until the type of deductions has been chosen. Select Continue. 
  • Now, return to the Forms mode and check the 1040/1040SR Wks for Line 10b. This should resolve the issue.

@richkut

Level 2
Feb 7, 2021 12:29:35 PM

There appears to be a number of anomalies in my Turbotax 2020 Deluxe program, as follows:

 

In the step-by-step screen I select the "FEDERAL TAXES" tab, then select "Deductions & Credits" tab. Select "I'll choose what I work on". Select "Charitable Donations--Donations to Charity in 2020" (grayed out "Update" selection).  All of my Charitable Donations are correct, so select "Done with Charitable Donations".  Select "Continue".  Select "Done with Deductions". Select "Continue" each time until I see the statement: "The Standard Deduction is Right for You! Based on what you've told us, we've chosen the standard deduction for you. This deduction of $27,400 will save you the most money." My understanding is that a married filing jointly return has a standard deduction of $24,800, so adding another $300 for the extra allowed standard deduction for charitable donations in 2020 yields a total standard deduction of $25,100 allowed--which is less than the itemized deduction of $27,400 that resides on Form 1040 Line 12 (flowing from Schedule A Line 17). BUT WAIT, this amount did not flow correctly, for on Schedule A Line 17 it shows the Itemized Deductions as $27,369. But flowing to Form 1040 Line 12, the auto flowing amount is $27,400--a $31 difference between the Schedule A Itemized Deductions and the amount that flows to Form 1040 Line 12!! So there appear to be TWO anomalies associated with my Turbotax 2020 Deluxe program!! The correct Itemized Deductions flowing from Schedule A to Form 1040/1040SR Wks  is wrong, and the program noting I should take the Standard Deduction also is wrong!! This, in turn, causes the error when Line 10b on Form 1040/1040SR Wks is left blank! It appears that the program assumes more than $27K is okay and better to take as a standard deduction rather than itemizing and it is forcing me to select standard deduction or otherwise it creates the Line 10b error on Form 1040/1040SR Wks because I am not adding in the additional $300 (which I cannot legally declare). Are these two anomalies connected? I think so, but until this is corrected I cannot even begin to think about filing! HELP!!!!!!

Level 15
Feb 7, 2021 12:36:17 PM

If you got 27,400 that is the Joint Standard Deduction for both of you over 65.  The Standard Deduction is 24,800 + 1,300 x 2 = 27,400.  Plus you get the 300 on line 10b.  Are you getting the 300?

 

Go though the deduction section and enter your charity amounts.  Then keep going and finish that section.  It should say the Standard Deduction is right for you.  Then it will add the amount to line 10b.

Level 2
Feb 7, 2021 1:46:41 PM

Thanks for explaining all of this! I got tripped up on the extra $1300@ standard deduction for over 65! Turbotax 2020 Deluxe only notes this allowance for 65+ filers on the Standard Deductions for Dependents worksheet (which is not my situation), but just implicitly includes the correct allowance and automatically accounts for it by automatically adding it without noting it to the user. The IRS instructions ALSO includes the Standard Deduction Chart for People Who Were Born Before January 2, 1956, or Were Blind, while TTAX 2020 Deluxe DOES NOT! By automatically adding this to Form 1040 without any explanation or showing it anywhere on any of the forms or worksheets, anyone unaware of this allowance (such as myself) would be led down the wrong path and come to the same conclusions as I did about errors in the program, which currently I now do not have. Thanks again for pointing this out to me. All now is well with my progress thus far on my 2020 return.

Level 2
Feb 8, 2021 9:24:56 AM

I tried this and it did not work.