Why am I getting an error message after entering charitable cash donations when claiming the Itemized Deduction?

[Meeta]

I entered 950 at the "1040/1040SR Wks: Charitable contributions" window, but TurboTax says " Enter a number equal to or less than 600" and doesn't accept the value, although I'm using the itemized deduction. Why? 950 is the cash donation I made last year.

[AnnetteB6]

Based on the message you are seeing on the screen, you may not be claiming itemized deductions on your return.  If you are seeing a place to simply enter a number for your cash charitable contributions, then that is a result of the Cares Act that allows you to claim up to $600 in charitable contributions (for Married Filing Joint) while filing with the Standard Deduction.

Be sure that you have entered your charitable contributions in the correct section of your return so that they may be included as part of your itemized deductions.  Use the following steps:

• On the top row of the TurboTax online screen, click on Search (or for CD/downloaded TurboTax locate the search box in the upper right corner)
• This opens a box where you can type in “charitable donation” (be sure to enter exactly as shown here) and click the magnifying glass (or for CD/downloaded TurboTax, click Find)
• The search results will give you an option to “Jump to charitable donation”
• Click on the blue “Jump to charitable donation” link and enter your information

After you have entered your charitable donations, click on Deductions and Credits at the top of the screen and scroll to the bottom of the screen to select Done.  Then you should see a screen that will tell you which deduction option is best for your return. 

[Meeta]

Thank you. Yes, I did the steps many times. I made sure that I chose Itemized deduction (TurboTax gave me the suggestion and I switched to Itemized. I see the window says What you're getting: Federal Itemized Deduction). However, at the Smart Check area, I get the windows saying "Check this entry 1040/1040SR Charitable contributions: Charitable contributions must be entered" and it won't let me to enter no more than 600. I clicked on "Forms". I see "12550" at the Form 1040 12a. Then I checked ScheduleA under Form section, Total Itemized Deduction is already calculated and the value is different from 12550. It seems that there is a software error that won't let me claim Itemized deduction. I have TurboTax downloaded version for Mac. 

[DaveF1006]

To clarify, what is the line number that references the error?

@Meeta

[Meeta]

@DaveF1006  Thanks for asking the question, but it doesn't say the line number. The error message says, "Enter a number equal to or less than 600. Please provide a value value." I clicked on Form, it shows 12b. (12a has 12550). I clicked on Schedule A, 17 shows a different value than 12550. 

[KrisD15]

To clarify,

what number is on Schedule A line 17?

Did you try entering 600 to see what the result would be? 

@Meeta

[Meeta]

Schedule A line 17 has 12841.

If I enter 600 to the question of 1040/1040SR Wks Charitable contributions, the Smart check comes back and says "Charitable contributions has an unacceptable value".

[samW1]

For single, you can only put $300 max and it will itemized the $300 for you based on your taxable bracket.  For joint, you can put $600 max.  The system will show as an error if you put more than these two amounts

[samW1]

to clarify what I said.  This is after you select standard itemized deductions which honestly majority of people are correct for that selection.  Then for 2021 tax year, it also allows you to take extra for amount that you have denoted to charity that has to be organization at least 50% for charity purpose.  And single only $300, joint only $600.  then for single, you will see at a summary page $12850 is being deducted in total for deduction on item 12c.  Hope this helps.

[Meeta]

TurboTax suggested me to switch to the Itemized deduction. I switched it but the SmartCheck doesn't let me enter no more than $300 for charitable donation (my cash donation is $950). Now, I switched back to the Standard deduction. The SmartCheck again gave me the same error and it doesn't let me enter more than $300 for charitable donation. So, either way, TurboTax doesn't let me enter more than $300. I'd like to know whether it is normal.

[JamesG1 · Accepted solution]

This can be corrected.

It sounds like there was a Federal 1040 line 12b Charitable Cash Contributions under CARES Act entered when your tax return qualified for the standard deduction.  Now that you want to itemize deductions on Schedule A, the entry remains there and causes an error message.  The $300 contribution was likely entered under the second option listed below.

Federal 1040 line 12b Charitable Cash Contributions under CARES Act can be entered or removed at either: 

• Federal Taxes / Deductions & Credits / Your tax breaks / Donations to Charity in 2021 or
• at the screen Charitable Cash Contributions under CARES Act immediately following Based on what you just told us, the Standard Deduction is best for you.

You want to change the amount of itemized deductions to $1 so that you qualify for the standard deduction.  Then remove the $300 contribution.  Finally, restore the itemized deductions to qualify for Schedule A.

• Remove or reduce to $1 the entries at Donations to Charity in 2021.
• Scroll to the bottom of the page and click on Wrap up tax breaks.
• You will see the screen Based on what you just told us, the Standard Deduction is best for you.
• At the screen titled Charitable Cash Contributions under the CARES Act, make sure that the box contains $0.
• At Other Tax Situations, scroll to the bottom of the page and click on Let’s keep going.
• Continue through Review.

 Go to Tax Tools / Tools / View Tax Summary / Preview my 1040 to view line 12b for the charitable deduction of $0.

Finally, restore the itemized deductions to qualify for Schedule A.

@Meeta