The most Itemized deductions we have had was 19,033. The 2018 standard deduction is 24,000. Why do we have to list all of our itemized deductions to file a tax return?

[wealwaysuse2019]

It seems to be a waste of time to itemize deductions when it's obvious the standard deduction will be higher.

[xmasbaby0 · Accepted solution]

If you want to skip entering your itemized deductions you can do that.  Many people will not have enough itemized deductions this year to itemize, and will just be getting their new higher standard deduction.  The thing is, though, that some of those deductions could make a difference on a state return even if they do not affect your federal return.  Information flows from your federal return to your state return, so it might not be a bad idea to go ahead and enter them anyhow.  It cannot hurt you.

[raplatky]

I agree 100% with the above response and have entered our itemized deductions in my Federal worksheets. While the program correctly selected the Standard Deduction method as preferable for our Federal taxes, I have attempted to gauge the impact of this option on our State taxes by selecting the "Itemize deductions even though they are less than your standard deduction" by checking the corresponding box on line 18 of Schedule A. The program will not, however, allow me to make this selection. Is there somewhere else that this option can be chosen?

[Opus 17]

That depends on your state.  Some states have a lower standard deduction.  Or, your state may allow certain itemized deductions that were removed from Federal taxes but can be added back to your state.  The program can't give you the best state result without having the information.  If you check your state web site, and you know you won't itemize on your state tax return either (or you don't have a state income tax) then you can probably skip it in your federal return.

[vanekjohn]

You do not have to itemize but I did just to check what was better.

[puntinsweets]

If you completed your taxes with TurboTax the previous year and it was a similar year to 2018, then it looks like TurboTax encourages you to not waste your time with the itemized deduction process.  Doing my taxes this time took very little time at all because of that. 

[oneinsynch]

You don't have to list itemize deductions or submit the Schedule A if the standard deduction exceeds what your allowed itemize deductions are. It's necessary to list them 'for yourself' in order to determine if you are able to itemize deductions or take the standard deduction whichever is greater. 

[vanekjohn]

problem is though, you do not know what is greater unless you itemize first to see.

[oneinsynch]

That's in sentence # 2?