We paid federal taxes last year, can we claim what we paid on our 2020 tax return? We had to make monthly payments.

[xmasbaby0 · Accepted solution]

No

The money you paid to the IRS for a previous year’s federal tax return is not deductible, so you do not enter it anywhere on your 2019 return.  If you paid taxes due in 2019 to your state or local government, you can enter that by going to Federal> Deductions and Credits> Estimates and Other Taxes Paid> Other Income Taxes.  You can enter the taxes you paid, but do not include any penalties or interest.

There are six states that allow you to enter the federal tax you paid on your state return--Alabama, Iowa. Louisiana, Missouri, Montana, and Oregon.  If you are filing in one of these states watch for the deduction when you prepare your state return.

[Anonymous]

it sounds like you were making payments unpaid taxes from prior years.  payments of federal taxes are not deductible on the federal return.  however, some states do take into a/c federal payments in computing the state taxes.  you didn't specify what state so whether this would apply to you is unknown