Won't change from standard to itemized deductions no matter how much medical expenses I put in!

[Nicole-T]

There seems to be a glitch in the software. No matter how much the amount of medical expenses I put in, it keeps with the lower standard deduction on Line 12, Form 1040, even if there is a much higher deduction amount from Total Itemized Deductions from Schedule A. Please advise how to fix this glitch! There is no manual option to change to itemized deductions.

[SteamTrain]

Not sure....you'd probably have to call Customer Support if any of the following does not apply to you.

1)  IF the StD Ded already reduces your taxable income to zero...then that is used, and it is normally to your advantage to do so (so a state refund won't be taxable Federal income next year).

2) Filing as MFS (Married filing separate)?  IF you indicated that your other spouse is using Std Ded, then you must use it also.  When MFS, both spouses must use the same Deduction procedure.

3)  "no matter how much" is a somewhat undetermined number.  $100,000 is a large number, 10,000 may not be.  You enter all your out of pocket Medical expenses, and only the amount that exceeds 7.5% of your AGI is included in the Itemized Ded. total (TTX automatically determines that amount from the out-of-pocket totals you entered) .  Don't enter anything in Forms Mode...that can lead to calc problems...use the interview.

_______________________________

Customer Support:

What is the TurboTax phone number? (intuit.com)

[xmasbaby0]

Are you fully understanding the medical expense deduction and how it works?  Only the amount that is ABOVE 7.5% of your adjusted gross income   (this is on line 12 of your Form 1040)  can be used as an itemized medical expense.    Unless you have enough medical expenses to use, and enough other itemized deductions like mortgage interest and property tax, the medical expenses will not change your tax due or refund.

MEDICAL EXPENSES

The medical expense deduction has to meet a rather large threshold before it can affect your return. The amount of medical (including dental, vision, etc.)  expenses that will count toward itemization is the amount that is OVER 7.5% of your adjusted gross income. You should only enter the amount that you paid in 2023—do not include any amounts that were covered by insurance or that are still outstanding.  Of course, your medical expenses plus your other itemized deductions still have to exceed your standard deduction before you will see a difference in your tax due or refund.

To enter your medical expenses go to Federal>Deductions and Credits>Medical>Medical Expenses

2023 STANDARD DEDUCTION AMOUNTS

SINGLE $13,850  (65 or older/legally blind + $1850)

MARRIED FILING SEPARATELY $13,850  (65 or older/legally blind + $1500)

MARRIED FILING JOINTLY $27,700  (65+/legally blind) )  + $1500 per spouse

HEAD OF HOUSEHOLD  $20,800 (65 or older/blind)  + $1850)

[Nicole-T]

Thank you so much, SteamTrain! I called TurboTax and she helped me force it to recognize my itemized deductions by continuing through with Done with Deductions where I finally got to the page that allowed me to switch to itemized. I thought that process would have been automatic as it's been in prior versions of the software, so I  had to force it a bit. Appreciate you mentioning those situations; they didn't apply to me but good to know regardless. And yeah, when $100,000 of medical expenses didn't trigger the itemized deductions, I figured something was wrong.

So I should be all set now.

Thank you again for your help!

Nicole