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To claim deductions in TurboTax, answer its deduction questions, enter the amounts supported by your records, and review the result. TurboTax says it prepares Schedule A when you itemize. For a 2025 federal return, compare your eligible itemized deductions with the standard deduction for your filing status; generally, the larger amount reduces federal income tax more. Also check whether you qualify for deductions reported on Schedule 1-A, which are separate from Schedule A and may be available whether you itemize or take the standard deduction.
How to enter deductions in TurboTax
- Choose the correct tax year and filing status. The amounts below apply to tax year 2025 returns, generally filed in 2026. Your age, blindness, dependent status, or a spouse’s itemization can affect the standard deduction, so treat the basic figures as a starting point.
- Gather records for expenses that may qualify. Depending on your situation, collect mortgage interest statements, state and local tax information, charitable contribution records, and medical expense records. Keep receipts and supporting documents; eligibility and documentation rules vary by deduction. The IRS Schedule A instructions explain the requirements by line.
- Answer TurboTax’s deduction questions. TurboTax describes a guided question flow and says it fills out Schedule A when you itemize. Screen labels and navigation can vary between versions, so follow the deduction prompts in your return rather than relying on a particular click path.
- Compare the eligible itemized total with the standard deduction. Don’t decide based on one expense alone. Add the itemized amounts that qualify after applying their limits, then compare that total with the amount for your filing status.
- Check for deductions reported outside Schedule A. For 2025, eligible taxpayers may also need to consider Schedule 1-A, which covers qualified tips, qualified overtime compensation, car loan interest, and an enhanced deduction for seniors.
- Review the return and retain your records. Confirm that each amount matches your documentation and the applicable IRS instructions. Don’t claim an expense twice if it is already deducted on another form or schedule.
Standard deduction amounts for 2025
The basic federal standard deduction amounts below are for tax year 2025. TurboTax notes that 2025 returns are filed in 2026. Special circumstances can change the calculation.
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| Filing status | Basic standard deduction |
|---|---|
| Single | $15,750 |
| Married filing separately | $15,750 |
| Married filing jointly | $31,500 |
| Surviving spouse | $31,500 |
| Head of household | $23,625 |
These 2025 figures are listed by Intuit TurboTax. The IRS says that in most cases federal income tax will be less if you take the larger of your itemized deductions or your standard deduction. That comparison concerns the federal deduction choice; eligibility for separate deductions, such as those on Schedule 1-A, is a different check.
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Schedule A (Form 1040) is the form for itemized deductions. The 2025 IRS instructions cover medical and dental expenses, certain state and local taxes, interest, charitable contributions, casualty and theft losses, and specified other deductions. Each category has its own requirements and limits; a TurboTax prompt does not by itself make an expense deductible.
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Medical and dental expenses
For tax year 2025, eligible medical and dental expenses generally count on Schedule A only to the extent they exceed 7.5% of adjusted gross income (AGI), according to TurboTax’s medical expense guide. Even if some expenses clear that threshold, compare your full eligible itemized total with the standard deduction.
State and local taxes
Under the 2025 IRS Schedule A instructions, the overall deduction limit for state and local income, sales, and property taxes is $40,000, or $20,000 for married filing separately. For modified AGI above $500,000, or $250,000 for married filing separately, the limit is reduced, but not below $10,000, or $5,000 for married filing separately. These are tax-year-specific limits; check the instructions for the return year you are filing.
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Schedule 1-A deductions are separate from Schedule A
For tax year 2025, the IRS introduced Schedule 1-A for deductions related to qualified tips, qualified overtime compensation, car loan interest, and an enhanced deduction for seniors. Eligible filers may claim these deductions whether they itemize or take the standard deduction. The IRS says up to $25,000 of qualified tips may be deductible for tax year 2025; eligibility and other category rules depend on the applicable form instructions.
These deductions belong on Schedule 1-A, not Schedule A. Review the IRS announcement about Schedule 1-A and the relevant form instructions before claiming one. The IRS states that workers can claim the qualified tips deduction whether they take the standard deduction or itemize.
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Keep Schedule A distinct from deductions elsewhere
Not every tax deduction is an itemized deduction. Schedule A instructions warn against including amounts already deducted on other forms or schedules, including Schedule 1-A or Schedule C, E, or F. Use the form specified for each deduction, and avoid entering the same expense in more than one place.
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- Prepare and file your business or trust taxes with confidence
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