Turbotax online is entering incorrect standard deduction

[user39]

I filled out my 2020 taxes for Turbotax and "married filing jointly."  It is forcing us to take itemized deductions, even when I request switching to standard.  Also, the itemized deduction ends up being a lot less than the standard deduction (by over $10,000).

How can I force Turbotax to use the standard deduction??

I've clicked through the entire process again, and I don't see any other selections to change this.

I found several community forum posts which are related, but the options they mention are not available to me:

https://ttlc.intuit.com/community/tax-credits-deductions/discussion/my-spouse-itemized-deductions-we...

--> This one says "on the next screen you pick if you or your spouse itemized deductions" but that screen does not show up for me.

https://ttlc.intuit.com/community/accessing/help/how-do-i-change-from-the-standard-deduction-to-item...

--> This recommends the option I described above of forcing the deduction selection: "select Change my deduction."  However, even after I do that, when I print a copy of my return, I see that it kept the itemized deductions.

[KrisD15]

If you are filing Married Filing Jointly as you say you are, the issue of what your spouse claims is irrelevant.

Please try these steps:

Click Tax Tools on the left side bar

Click Tools from the drop-down

Click the "Topic Search" box on the screen

Type or scroll down to    standard deduction and exemptions

Click GO 

The next screen gives you an option to change your selection from Standard to Itemized and back. If you want to use Standard, choose that here. 

Scroll down to the bottom of that screen and click CONTINUE

The next screen is the Charitable Cash Contributions under Cares Act screen

IF YOU ARE CLAIMING STANDARD DEDUCTION enter the amount of cash contributions you made, up to  300

IF YOU ARE ITEMIZING DEDUCTIONS enter 0

[user39]

Thank you for your suggestion!  I tried this, and it's the same UI flow which I did before.  After I click "Change my deduction" and select Standard Deduction, it goes back to the same screen, with:

• title: "Based on what you just told us, itemizing your deductions is best for you"
• text: "By itemizing your deductions you will receive a great refund.  Let's keep going and lock in the itemized deductions for you."

When I click "Continue," it locks in those itemized deductions.  I.e., this UI flow doesn't let me select the standard deduction.

Since we originally tested both filing separately and filing jointly, and tested first the standard and then itemized deductions, I'm wondering if TurboTax somehow has locked in a choice.  (E.g., in some of the articles I linked in my first post, people mentioned selecting whether your spouse was itemizing deductions.) I've tried to find those choices in the UI, but without success so far.

Any further suggestions?

[KrisD15]

Yes, you could try deleting the Schedule A. 

Sign in to your online account

Continue working on your return

Click Tax Tools on the left side bar

Click Tools on the drop-down

Click "Delete a form" on the “Tools Center” screen

Scroll down the list and find Schedule A  then click Delete

Confirm the delete

IF THAT DOES NOT TAKE CARE OF THE PROBLEM 

I suggest you go back to "Personal Info" 

change your filing status to Married Filing Separately

on the next screen select that your spouse is taking the Standard Deduction

Finish that section 

Close, reopen and change filing status once more back to Married Filing Jointly 

This way the Standard Deduction should stick 

@user39

[user39]

Soo.... I followed your instructions, and it did not work; it still forced itemized deductions.

But, your intuition was right!  I then re-followed your instructions to the extreme:

• I deleted every form mentioning "itemized" or "deductions."
• I switched to filing separately and deleted every income entry related to my wife.
• I then switched back to filing jointly.
• It finally let me take the correct standard deduction.  Phew!

Thanks so much for your help and for pointing me in the right direction!

[anitaaaaa]

same issue for 2022. None of above ways can resolve the issue. Please advice.

[JamesG1]

Do you want to claim the standard deduction but you are only getting credit for itemized deductions?  Are you able to view line 12a of the Federal tax return to see your deduction amount?

Have you tried deleting your itemized deductions or reducing them to $1?  Does this force you into the standard deduction?

@anitaaaaa

[janetf-d]

The Form 1040/1040SR Wks line 12a shows a standard deduction for married filing jointly of $27,800, but the standard deduction is $25,100.  This means line 12c is incorrect on form 1040.

The only data on our Schedule A is automatically entered from our two SSA-1099s and a W-2; we can't remove this data without overriding. We have deleted Schedule A, but it keeps reappearing.  

[DoninGA]

---

@janetf-d wrote:

The Form 1040/1040SR Wks line 12a shows a standard deduction for married filing jointly of $27,800, but the standard deduction is $25,100.  This means line 12c is incorrect on form 1040.

The only data on our Schedule A is automatically entered from our two SSA-1099s and a W-2; we can't remove this data without overriding. We have deleted Schedule A, but it keeps reappearing.  

---

Both you and your spouse are age 65 or older so your Standard Deduction is increased by $1,350 for each of you for a Standard Deduction of $27,800

Standard deductions for 2021

• Single - $12,550 add $1,700 if age 65 or older
• Married Filing Separately - $12,550 add $1,350 if age 65 or older
• Married Filing Jointly - $25,100 add $1,350 for each spouse age 65 or older
• Head of Household - $18,800 add $1,700 if age 65 or older

[janetf-d]

Thank you for a quick and accurate response.