Tax Year Prior to 2020: Why can't I enter my property tax info for 2019?

[BarbaraW22]

You should be able to enter your property tax information by following these steps:

1. Log into TurboTax and click on any topic to continue
2. Click on Federal from the menu on the left-hand side 
3. Click on Deductions and Credits at the top
4. Scroll down to Your Home and click on Show More
5. Click on Start or Revisit next to Property (Real Estate) Taxes and enter your information

If your itemized deductions exceed the standard deduction for your filing status and your total deductions for state and local taxes do not exceed $10,000, you should be able to claim a deduction for property taxes paid.

Please see this TurboTax Article for more information. 

[mmm8]

Well yes, that is how one Should be able to do it. However, Turbo Tax will not let me enter any numbers into any of the property tax fields. I was wondering if there is a glitch or perhaps a missing update that won't allow the entry? I didn't have this issue last year

[wetmur]

Clearly doesn't work. Is this an Intuit problem?

[mmm8]

Got it figured out. I have a touch screen. For some reason, this was the only field that I had to select with the mouse vs selection by touch.  BTW, i knew that field was blank but Turbo Tax never caught it as an error at any of the times i did the Error check runs. So, heads up...Do your own re-reviews and error checks. (i do that anyway, but would be nice to know that Turbo Tax had my back too)

[BobL1]

I have the same problem.  Entry is blocked.

[VictorW9]

What version of the software are you using? Note that mortgage and property taxes are not available with the free version of TurboTax.

[SteamTrain]

@BobL1 

IF you are using the Desktop software on a Windows computer....I suspect you encountering the "$0" bug.....the description of what is happening, and how to get around it follows below..

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Whenever you see that "$0"  (an actual zero, and only when using the desktop software )...a "Supporting Details" sheet is attached to that entry, usually transferred in from last year, but after the actual $$ entries were stripped out.

Problem is that TTX reprogrammed that page such that the "Supporting Details" page doesn't pop up like it used to...so several ways to work around  it until they get it fixed (if ever...reported a couple years ago and no action).

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Here's what I think is happening  (#1,2,3 below)...and how to fix it (#4 below).

1)  In 2018 you added "Supporting Details" to each of those fields where you encounter a locked "$0"...probably to describe  when & how paid it in some prior year.

2)  The Supporting Details sheets (empty) transferred into your 2019 file from your 2018 file.

3)  The Supporting Details are supposed to pop up as soon as you attempt to enter a value during the Interview...but it doesn't.  (Software Bug)

4) Workarounds  : 

4a)  double-click in the field and the Supporting Details sheet pops up and you can either delete it (hit the big red "X"), and now make an entry...or you can use the SuppDetails worksheet to enter your $$....OR...

4b)   Put your cursor in the box, and then go to the top menu on the screen and click on <Edit....then <<Add Supporting Details from the drop-down menu.  IF the SuppDet box shows up you can either add your entry in there...or hit the Red "X" to delete the whole SupDet worksheet and then make your normal entry.....or...

4c)  Put your cursor on the box....switch to Forms Mode...., and enter the payment  directly in the worksheet.   You can also delete the Supporting Details sheet entirely (look for the REMOVE "X" when it pops up)..once that is done, you can make entries using the interview again..

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and there are other places ..like Medical Expenses, and Federal Quarterly Estimated Tax Payments ...where the same "$0" issue "might" pop up....but only if you used Supporting Details in the past