Why can I not enter Medical and Dental Expenses on my state portion of my return? The box is gray and will not allow changes. It shows "0".

A taxpayer must itemize deductions, such as medical and dental expenses, on the federal return in order to qualify to claim them on the Alabama return. Please follow the directions below to see if you are claiming itemized deductions on your federal return.

1. Log in and click take me to my return (unless already in).
2. Click Tax Tools on the left side of the screen and select Tools from the drop-down menu.
3. Click Topic Search, type Itemized Deductions, Choosing, and click Go.
4. On the next screen, you will see what deductions you are claiming. If it shows you are taking the standard deduction, then you are not qualified to claim medical and dental expenses on your Alabama return.