Why is turbotax duplicating the amount in line 3a to line 3b in form 1116?

[LaShaunA3]

Line 3a (foreign qualified dividends) is a subset of line 3b (total foreign dividends), so TurboTax will show the same amount when all your foreign dividends are qualified.

Instructions for Form 1116

[catmouse40]

Your answer doesn't make sense as the IRS instructions for Form 1116 Line 3a are as follows:

Line 3a.

Include the following itemized deductions (from Schedule A (Form 1040)) on line 3a.

• Medical expenses (line 4).

• General sales taxes.

• Real estate taxes for your home.

• State and local personal property taxes.

If you don’t itemize deductions, enter your standard deduction on line 3a.

Per the IRS, Line 3a has nothing to do with foreign qualified dividends and Line 3b also is not referring to total foreign dividends. I am itemizing and for Line 3a on Form 1116, I am adding my Medical Expenses ($0) to State and Local Sales Tax ($1764)  and Real Estate Taxes ($2958) and State and Local Personal Property taxes ($0). Total equals $4722 and that is what I put on Line 3a but your software program is duplicating this amount and placing it on Line 3b also (for some unknown reason). Line 3b is for "Other deductions" of which I have none.

Line 3b should remain blank and it was blank on my 2024 return when I had a CPA do my taxes. Can you tell me how I can make sure the $4722 amount in Line 3a is not being copied down into Line 3b by your software program?

Thanks 

[DaveF1006]

Since you are in the forms mode in the return, go to your Form 1116.  Toward the top of the form, put a check mark that says Quick Zoom to Foreign Tax Credit Worksheet. Scroll down to 3(5). if you see an amount, you may delete it since the box is tan and editable. That should remove the duplicate entry.

Before, you do this, check the total at the bottom of the entry and look at total itemized deductions not definitely related.  If the total is $4722, then the calculation was done correctly. If it $9444, then there is a duplication issue but it should be remedied by deleting the dulicate entry in the way I described.

@catmouse40 

[catmouse40]

Thanks for your reply and suggestions. I am new to Turbotax (my first year using it) and I didn't understand how to get to "Forms" . Apparently it looks like I am completing an "online" version but I didn't intend to and wanted to do the desktop version. Is there a way I can change how this is submitted?

Anyway I did figure out that the way I answered the questions  was duplicating the $4722 so I just deleted the info I input and it deleted the copy of the information that was appearing in 3b. So, very happy to have resolved that issue!! Many thanks!! If you could advise me on how to switch from "online" to "desktop" that would be much appreciated.

[DawnC]

Yes, you can do that.  The instructions are the link below @catmouse40  -  

How do I switch from TurboTax Online to TurboTax Desktop?

[catmouse40]

Thanks for the instructions for switching from Turbotax Online to Desktop. I went back and realized I had already paid for the Online version in order to access the forms to review while I was working. So I didn't want to pay again for the Desktop version. I ended up just filing using the Online version this year. But next year will I be able to just start in the Desktop version rather than continuing to use the Online version?

[CatinaT1]

Yes, and you will be able to transfer your online return over to the desktop version.