I run a smart check and it says, charitable contributions must be entered

If you using the election to take a charitable deduction of up to $300, on top of using the standard deduction, you cannot enter this through the Itemized Deductions screens. 

 

Please follow the steps below to enter your charitable contribution in the correct place in TurboTax :

1. Open your return. 
2. Click Federal from the left side of your screen.
3. Click Deductions & Credits on the top of the screen.
4. Scroll down and click the Wrap up tax breaks button.
5. Continue until you reach the Charitable Cash Contributions under Cares Act screen.
6. Enter your charitable cash contributions.

Please also delete your prior entry for donations under the Itemized deductions screen. You can get to this screen by searching "donations" with the magnifying glass tool at the top of the page.

I am having this problem. I tried to follow the  reply but I can't find anything that says "Wrap up tax breaks" or "Charitable Cash Contributions  under  Cares Act", I'm using Turbo Tax Premier and I am mystified.

@josh-kuperman

You may have intentionally or unintentionally elected the Charitable Cash Contributions under CARES Act.

 

In TurboTax Online, the screen Charitable Cash Contributions under CARES Act appears as the end of Deductions & Credits. First you have to pass the screen Based on what you told us, the standard deduction is best for you at the end of Deductions & Credits.

 

But you have to qualify for the standard deduction before the screen appears.  So you have to change the value of one or more itemized deductions to $1 so that you qualify for the standard deduction.

 

Follow these steps: 

• At the top of the screen, click on Deductions & Credits.
• Scroll to the bottom of the page and click on Wrap up tax breaks.
• Continue through several screens.
• At the screen Based on what you told us, the standard deduction is best for you, click Continue.
• At the screen Any Charitable Cash Contributions? delete the dollar amount.
• Continue through Federal Review to make sure that things look correct.
• Then restore your itemized deductions dollar amounts.

I'm also using Turbotax Premier.  And I'm itemizing deductions.  How do I get rid of the Charitable Donations under CARES Act check box so that I can file.  It won't accept 0 as a valid amount.

 

thank you

Yes. There is an issue with the contributions deduction and TurboTax is working to fix it.  We do not have an estimated date of correction, at this time.  I suggest you check back often to see if the correction has been made.

 

There is a problem with the Contributions section of the Itemized deductions and also the above the line $300.00 deduction.  Because of the many changes due to the CARES Act, IRS is still developing the forms and publications on this issue.  Last update was January 13th where everything is still in draft.  Once IRS finalizes the forms, we will be able to update TurboTax to accurately reflect your Contributions deduction.

 

Here are some of the changes due to the CARES ACT

The new legislation allows tax deductions on two types of charitable gifts. First, it allows up to $300 given to a qualified charity to be claimed as an above-the-line deduction. After the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, which went into effect in 2018, increased the standard deduction, many taxpayers had less incentive to donate to charities. Instead, they took the standard deduction and stopped itemizing.

 

For taxpayers who will itemize deductions, the CARES Act effectively suspends the limit on deductions for cash contributions to public charities for 2020.  “That allows individuals to completely wipe out their AGI, and their tax liability, with a charitable contribution

... Has this been fixed? Is there anywhere to track this bug besides chiming in in this thread?