The problem I stated yesterday which I need help to resolve. The program was doing its final review before emailing it to the IRS. The error was on line 10b which was program initiated and has 300 in the field. As I do not know how the program arrived at the conclusion, I don't feel comfortable in changing it as it was derived from the data. PLEASE have this problem corrected so that I can email the file to the IRS once the program file is updated. I did want to get the return completed no later than today. Thanks and enjoy your day!
10b is the "above the line" charitable contribution deduction that you get if (1) you made $300 or more in monetary charitable contributions and (2) you are taking the standard deduction. If you entered charitable contributions either in the Deductions section OR in response to the specific prompt about this $300 deduction, that is where the number came from.
Sometimes you'll get an error if the amount was marked as "estimated." Go to Forms (upper right on the main screen), click on 1040, then right click on the problem number in line 10b. You can see if it is marked as estimated, or you can override the number from here.
If you made no charitable contributions, OR you are itemizing, then you can just change that number to 0 (if you are itemizing, then all of your charitable deductions should be on Schedule A). If you made charitable contributions, but in an amount less than $300, override the number on 10b to reflect the true number.
Do you want to remove the Charitable Cash Contribution under CARES Act or report the deduction? The deduction may have been entered unintentionally. Are you reporting the standard deduction or itemizing deductions?
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.
But you have to qualify for the standard deduction before the screen appears. So you may want to change the value of one or more itemized deductions to $1 so that you qualify for the standard deduction.
Follow these steps:
The response helped clear the problem and the tax package was submitted. Thanks for your help!
@Harry McLean - and for what it is worth for coming attractions, in 2021 for next year's tax return, that number can be as high as $600 if you are filing joint.
I had itemized my deductions and the only reply that I had received was how to get in to the tax files and change the value to $300. Hmm...
@Harry McLean - not following.... if you tried to itemize and the standard deduction was more advantageous, TT will use the standard deduction.
Beginning in 2020, Congress passed a law that stated even if you take the standard deduction, the first $300 of cash donations (no goods or services) could still be deducted. That same law is changed to $600 for a joint return ($300 for single or HOH) in 2021.
does that help?