Why is my charitable contribution of $300 not making any dent in my 2020 return ? I am taking standard deduction.

[MinhT1]

For 2020, you are allowed to deduct up to $300 ($150 if Married filing Separately) of cash donations to 501(c)3 organizations even if you do not itemize your deductions.

In order to take this above-the-line deduction, enter your donation(s) under Deductions & Credits > Charitable Donations > Donations to Charities in 2020.  The deduction will be added above-the-line by TurboTax after you have completed the  Wrap up tax breaks interview in TurboTax if you take the Standard deduction.

On your form 1040, this deduction appears on line 10b - Charitable contributions if you take the standard deduction.

[nirlay]

I did all that you describe, but still my line 10b is blank (0).

[BillM223]

There are two essential steps to entering this above-the-line deductions:

1. You must enter one or more charitable contributions described as MONEY (you will see this when you enter charitable contributions).

2. In the Final Review, when TurboTax notices that you made cash contributions and you are taking the Standard Deduction, then it will ask you what amount (up to $300 or less if you contributed less cash) you want to have as the above-the-line deduction.

What is unusual here is that the second half of the process is in the Final Review, not in any interview.

[nirlay]

Thanks for pointing the quirk! Is that going to get fixed ?

What if I donated clothes, household stuff - should I still categorize them as MONEY ?

[BillM223 · Accepted solution]

No, the IRS is very explicit - eligible contributions MUST BE IN CASH (or cash equivalents like a check or credit card).

If you did not make any cash contributions in 2020, then you are not eligible for the above-the-line deduction.

P.S. this "quirk" is probably not going to be fixed, because TurboTax is not sure that you are taking the Standard Deduction until the Final Review. However, with all the last minute tax law changes happening, I can't speak to future years.

[nirlay]

That was such a perfect answer that the TT reps that I spoke to over the phone was giving me the runaround! 

I did not make a Cash contribution and hence cannot deduct - this explains everything, so it is not a quirk of TT, just that I was not reading the tax rules properly and the TT folks also was not at all knowledgeable.

Although I will not be able to claim any charitable deductions, thanks for the answer.

[Mtaft]

Why is my charitable contribution $300 when it should be $600 when filing jointly with my spouse?

[ToddL99]

 If you are married and filing jointly, your deduction is still limited to $300.  The $300 limit is for a "filing unit" (i.e. a return), not per individual. It applies  regardless of filing status.

From  The new charitable deduction for non-itemizers: An individual eligible to claim the deduction is any individual who does not elect to itemize deductions for 2020 (Sec. 62(f)(1)). 

[VolvoGirl]

It goes up to 600 next year for 2021 returns.  For 2020 it is a max 300.  

[jpinfant]

I made over $300 in cash charitable contributions in 2020, I have entered all the information on turbo tax, however when I get to the end after reviewing prior to filing, turbotax is not adding the $300 to the standard deduction, is there anything else I need to do, I have not filed yet, trying to fix the issue.

[mesquitebean]

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@ jpinfant wrote:

I made over $300 in cash charitable contributions in 2020, I have entered all the information on turbo tax, however when I get to the end after reviewing prior to filing, turbotax is not adding the $300 to the standard deduction, is there anything else I need to do, I have not filed yet, trying to fix the issue.

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*****NOTE:  Revised 4/02/2021 at 3:15 AM Pacific to include additional navigation information.*****

Are you using Online TurboTax or desktop software?

Did you go all the way through the end of the deductions section and choose the button "wrap up tax breaks" (if Online TurboTax) ?  There will be some more questions and as you keep going, finally a screen will say "Based on what you just told us, the Standard Deduction is best for you."   The next screen after that will ask you about the Charitable Cash Contributions under the Care Act and has a box showing your amount. When you continue on past that screen, that figure then flows to the Form 1040 Worksheet and the allowed amount will be on Line 10b.

Do you have a figure on your Form 1040, Line 10b?   We can tell you how to look.  If you don't have a figure on the Form 1040, Line 10b, then you likely didn't finish the deduction section exactly as I described above.

The $300 is not added to the standard deduction.   If you take the standard deduction, the (up to) $300 in charitable contributions is reported on the Form 1040, Line 10b as an "adjustment to income" as part of the calculation of 2020 AGI (Line 11), which is prior to the standard deduction (Line 12.)   i.e., it lowers the amount of income included in the AGI.   The end result is the same; you still get the benefit of $300 less in taxable income.

I can tell you how to look at the Form 1040, Line 10b to see if your $300 is showing up and reducing your total income and reflected in the AGI.  But the method depends on whether you are using desktop software or Online TurboTax, which you haven't yet said.

[mesquitebean]

@jpinfant 

I added some additional info to my answer above and edited it for clarity (hopefully).  So you may have gotten additional emails with revised material as I worked on it.   Sorry if I've caused any confusion.   Please return to the forum to see the full final answer.

The important step to make sure TurboTax includes the $300 in cash contributions is to officially conclude the deductions section as I outlined above, then once TurboTax knows that you are definitely using the standard deduction, the next screen should ask you about the $300 in cash charitable donations.  I don't know if you went far enough to see that screen or not.  It might also pick it up in the Federal Review, but I don't have a way to test it.

Check the Form 1040, Line 10b to be sure it's showing up on your return.  We can tell you how.

[jpinfant]

Thank you for your reply, I am using the online Turbotax on Safari with macOS Big Sur. How do I check the 1040?

[VolvoGirl]

Before filing you can preview the 1040 or print the whole return
https://ttlc.intuit.com/community/accessing/help/how-do-i-preview-my-turbotax-online-return-before-f...