Force Standard or Itemized Deductions
TaxAct will use the higher of your itemized deductions or the standard deduction for your filing status to maximize your tax benefit. To manually select a deduction method in the TaxAct program, follow the steps below.
Online
Dashboard
- From within your TaxAct return, click Resources.
- On smaller devices, click the menu at the top left corner of your screen, then make your selection.
- Under My Return, click Federal Search.
- Click the Itemized or Standard Deductions drop-down, then click Use itemized deductions or Use standard deduction.
- The screen label that appears will be the opposite of what the system selected automatically.
- The total of each deduction type is displayed.
- Choose the radio button to force the deduction type, then click Continue.
- Use my standard deduction
- Use my itemized deductions
Classic
- From within your TaxAct return, click Federal.
- On smaller devices, click the menu at the top left corner of your screen, then make your selection.
- Click the Itemized or Standard Deductions drop-down, then click Use itemized deductions or Use standard deduction.
- The screen label that appears will be the opposite of what the system selected automatically.
- The total of each deduction type is displayed.
- Choose the radio button to force the deduction type, then click Continue.
- Use my standard deduction
- Use my itemized deductions
Desktop
- From within your TaxAct return, click Federal.
- Click the Itemized or Standard Deductions drop-down, then click Use itemized deductions or Use standard deduction.
- The screen label that appears will be the opposite of what the system selected automatically.
- Choose the radio button to force the deduction type, then click Continue.
- Use my standard deduction
- Use my itemized deductions