Line 10b Error - Can't Select Itemized Deductions

[JJD5]

I got the Line 10b worksheet error during the Federal Return checking process that asked for "Enter the smaller of these cash contributions made or $300", etc.  I was unsure what to do so I entered 300 on the worksheet just to clear the error.

Now this is triggering TurboTax online to select the standard deduction, even though I need to itemize.  The "Deductions & Credits" wrapup says it's going to select itemized deductions, but at the end of the Federal return checking process, it says I'm taking the standard deduction.  I assume this is because of the $300 entry.  But I have no idea how to go back and edit the worksheet to fix this.  I can view it again with "Tax Tools", but can't change anything.  How do I fix this?

[LenaH]

If your itemized deductions are greater than the Standard Deduction, TurboTax will automatically use the itemized deductions on your Schedule A. 

Some deductions are subject to limitations, so this could have changed what was the most beneficial deduction in your tax situation. 

If you need to review your deductions or force the use of Itemized Deductions, please follow the steps below: 

1. Open your return.
2. Click on Tax Tools on the left hand side.
3. Click on Tools.
4. Click Topic Search. 
5. Search "itemized deductions, choosing"
6. Click on Change my deduction.
7. Choose Itemized Deductions under Which deduction do you want to take this year? 

[JJD5]

Thanks for the reply, but I already tried this and it doesn't work.  On the "itemized deductions, choosing" screen, TurboTax is choosing itemized deductions.  But when I get to the Federal Review section and click the "explain why" I'm getting my current estimated refund, it suddenly says I'm choosing the standard deduction.  The estimated refund at the top of the screen is also consistent with the standard deduction, and not the increased refund estimate it gave me at the previous screen where I chose itemized deductions.

Again, I assume this is a result of accidentally putting in the $300 charitable deduction amount for standard deduction filers.  But I can't figure out any way to change this, unless there's some way to do it at the very end of the process right before filing the return (which I haven't gotten to yet).

[JamesG1]

Are you able to change the value of one or more itemized deductions to $1 to make sure that you actually do qualify for the standard deduction?  Then remove the Charitable Cash Contribution under CARES Act?

If you are 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.

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.

See also this TurboTax Help.

[JJD5]

Thanks for the help.  Changing a deduction entry to $1 did reset the form and give me the standard deduction instead of itemized.   Then I zeroed out the dollar amount at the "Any Charitable Cash Contibutions?" screen.

However, upon doing the Federal Review, it takes me right back to the Line 10b worksheet error again:  "1040/1040SR Wks Charitable Contributions:  Charitable Contributions has an unacceptable value."  It wants me to enter a value between 0 and 300, but this doesn't apply to me as I have itemized deductions above the standard deduction amount, and don't want to fill out line 10b, which applies to the standard deduction only.

Can I just continue without resolving this error, or will it come up again when I try to finalize the return and file?  If I need to correct this error, what is the process for doing so?

[Cynthiad66]

Most likely this error will continue.  

 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.

[angelicaicolon]

Hello!

Has there been any update on this glitch yet, a place where we can sign up to be emailed when an update occurs, or is there a workaround, so I can submit my taxes? 

[dr-nmayeda]

I am wondering the same - it's holding up me e-filing as well.

[dr-nmayeda]

I just spent an hour with tech support and my return was able to clear the error and e-file when I qualified myself for the standard deduction (by temporarily changing my donation amounts), and then chose to itemize myself anyway ("Change my deduction"). Ensure 10b is still clear, and make sure to go back and correct your actual donation amount. The key here is choosing to itemize after qualifying for the standard deduction - only thing I can tell on my return it affected was Box 18 on Schedule A being checked when it seems it didn't need to be. Hopefully this is minor though!

[gbenderk]

💯 ⭐ Thank you dr-nmayeda!! This is the answer right here folks. Also spent an hour with tech support but they were not read in to this solution.

[YueFan]

This error is still there, and it's more confusing than expected.  I tried to temporarily change my charitable donations down to $2 ($1 each) and it gave the CARES act again, in which I input $2.  Now I have even less refund available and got stuck in standardized deductions again after proceeding and going back.  Is this how TurboTax products are?  I can't remember why I stopped using TurboTax but I suspect bugs like these bad something to do with it. 

[YueFan]

OK, here's a methodical way to resolve this. 

1) Go back to Deductions and Credits and change charitable value to some very small value by editing each donation. 

2) "Done with Donations" button 

2) "Wrap Up tax breaks" button 

3) If now the summary shows standard deduction gives a bigger refund (and I suspect that's the case for all of us running into this bug), click "Change by deduction" and force it into the lower (due to entering temporary $1 donation values earlier) itemized deductions option. 

4) Click "Change by deduction" and make sure it's still itemized. 

5) Click "Continue" 

6) You should now get the CARES act screen.  **COMPLETELY CLEAR THE BOX** showing how much you donated.  Your real charitable contribution is probably displayed there and it's probably >$300.  Leave it totally blank and click the "Continue" button.  

7) Go Back to Deductions & Credits, punch in the real donation numbers, see your return increase, and then DO NOT go back to the itemized vs. standard summary screen with the 2-bar bar graph again.  Otherwise go back to step 1.  

Basically 10b in 1044 should be blank if you itemize, and the code forces standard deduction mode if 10b has any value in the field at all (and of course, the value must be <=$300 per CARES).  Your real return value won't be as big as the highest number you saw at one point because that was likely mis-calculated with both itemized donations AND the $300 CARES act donation (standard deduction) added together, when they're mutually exclusive.  

Now here's the interesting part for my $400 total cash donation.  The software was right in trying to force me into taking the $300 CARES act because that's on top of the $12,400 standard deduction, since my itemized is between $12,400 and $12,400+$300.  It just presented an inflated (and incorrect) value for itemized that I couldn't select.  So, most of us here in this thread are likely in the same financial and charitable states - the camaraderie is nice.  Now to go back and make the software put me back into Standard, by repeating the above, but this time filling in CARES value of $300 and choosing standard deduction.