Why am I getting a sales tax deduction if I haven't sold or bought anything?

[miclase2016]

I went onto the Sales Tax Deduction section on Personal Income just to read what was it about, had to answer every question in order to go to the next one and find out more information, and suddenly at the end they tell me I a getting an amount for sales tax deduction? I have no idea how come I am getting this.

[RichardG]

You are entitled to an itemized deduction for either your state income taxes paid or sales taxes paid in 2016, whichever is larger.  Since most people do not keep all their receipts for the year, the IRS allows a sales tax deduction based on a standardized table based on your income and your local sales tax rate.  It sounds like you just completed this interview.  

There's no harm in completing this interview.  In fact, it might lower your taxes.