Using standard deduction or itemizing as a single person?

Forum|Forum|5 months ago
February 18, 2026
1 reply
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I would like to use my TurboTax express to see whether to itemize or use the standard deduction .

can I do three versions of my options?

I don’t have many deductions besides my mortgage and real estate taxes which are low and would like to know if paying off my $100,000 mortgage at 3 7/8 % and 10 years left on a 20 year mortgage would be tax wise smart.

I would be saving interest on the mortgage and not having to pay $1000 a month. I still have enough in my investments and safety accounts for over a year.

Ask the Experts - Maximize - Feb 2026

DawnC

Level 15

If you are using TurboTax Online, you can change your answers as many times as you like, but you can only prepare one federal tax return per account. You can change you amounts and after you enter all of your itemized deductions, TurboTax will tell you what the higher deduction is. You can change your entries as many times as you need to before you file.

If you are using TurboTax desktop, you can prepare as many test version returns as you need. Just be sure to name them something different than your actual tax return you will be filing. What are standard and itemized deductions?

How do I change from the standard deduction to itemized (or vice-versa)?

Why didn't my mortgage or property taxes increase my refund? If your itemized deductions are less than your standard deduction, the mortgage interest and real estate tax are not benefiting you tax-wise.

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