In lieu of the Standard Deduction, the IRS allows taxpayers to itemize their deductions for certain expenditures. These itemized deductions include expenditures such as mortgage interest, property taxes, etc. and are deductible on Schedule A, allowing a taxpayer to reduce their taxable income on their return. The program will automatically use the larger of the Standard Deduction or the Itemized Deduction.
You can compare the Standard Deduction to the total Itemized Deductions you have entered in the program by clicking on:
- Federal Section
- Deductions
- Select My Forms
- View Standard vs. Itemized Deductions
Force Itemized Deductions
You can force the program to take itemized deductions if you prefer to use itemized deductions (even if they are lower than the standard deduction) over the standard deduction or if you are filing Married Filing Separate and your spouse has itemized. To force itemized deductions, please go to:
- Federal Section
- Deductions
- Select My Forms
- Itemized Deductions
- Use Standard or Itemized Deductions
- Select Force Itemized Deductions