Standard deduction vs actual deduction

Forum|Forum|11 months ago
April 9, 2025
2 replies
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My actual deductions total $38,600. Turbo Tax wants me to take a standard deduction of $32,300. It is not clear why this is so. Are some deductions (such as charitable or medical) not fully covered? Note: This is for personal tax, not business.

TurboTax Business Windows

DoninGA

Employee

Only your total medical expenses that are greater than 7.5% of your Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) can be deducted.

State and Local income taxes, Sales Taxes, Real Estate Taxes and Personal Property Taxes are limited to $10,000 in total.

VolvoGirl

Employee

There is a max 10,000 limit (5,000 MFS) of property tax and state taxes "SALT". SALT is State And Local Tax. Which includes property tax, any state tax paid like for last year’s return and includes any state withholding from your W2s and any 1099s you have. And any taxes in W2 box 14 and 19 like SDI or VDI. You can only deduct up to 10,000 (5,000 MFS) for SALT State and Local Taxes.

And You can only deduct the amount of unreimbursed Medical Expenses you actually paid over 7.5% of your AGI. And then all your itemized deductions have to be more than the standard deduction to get any benefit (so you would only be getting the benefit of the amount that puts you over the standard deduction). And since the Standard Deduction is increased more people will not need to Itemize.

For 2024 the standard deduction amounts are:

Single 14,600+1,950 for 65 and over or blind

HOH 21,900 + 1,950 for 65 and over or blind

Joint 29,200 + 1,550 for each 65 and over or blind (both 32,300)

Married filing Separate 14,600 + 1,550 for 65 and over or blind

If it's giving you the Standard Deduction and not showing you Schedule A you can check the actual amount of itemized deductions by using by going to

Tax Tools on left

Tools - Topic Search (top left box)

Type in itemized deductions, choosing. It should highlight that in the list, click on GO

Then Click on "Change my deduction". That will display the actual amount of itemized deductions vs. the standard deduction. (Be sure to uncheck "Change my deduction" after checking it so you do not lock in the wrong deduction.

How to change between the Standard Deduction and Itemized Deductions

https://ttlc.intuit.com/community/accessing/help/how-do-i-change-from-the-standard-deduction-to-itemized-or-vice-versa/00/25831