Educator Expense deduction limiting to $250 even though MFJ and both are teachers

[amcd]

Any idea how to force the system to calculate this correctly? I've entered $250 in the Educator Expenses input field for both the taxpayer and the spouse, but the software is only allowing a $250 deduction. It should be $500.

[itonewbie]

If both the taxpayer and spouse are eligible educators and incurred $250 or more each in educator expenses, you need to enter the respective expenses they each incurred under their own columns.

[amcd]

Did that. Still only showing $250 in Adjustments to income, line 10. I think it's a flaw in the software. I've entered $250 in the column for taxpayer and the column for spouse (they are both elementary school teachers). Should be a $500 total deduction.

[itonewbie]

It is working on mine.  If you made your input in the same way, you should get the same result.  See the screenshots attached.

In case you still have problems, you may need to send your return to Intuit for them to look at.  You can do so using the Return actions button and selecting Send to Intuit.

[itonewbie]

[amcd]

Thank you for showing me this and I'm glad it's now working. I wish I had taken screenshots of what was happening on my end because literally 24 hours ago it was not calculating correctly and now it is. Either way it's fixed so I'm happy. Thanks!

[itonewbie]

NP, @amcd! Glad it is now working for you.

[mwloomis]

Do you know why it is working now? I have this same issue. Others have had it too - as a result of there being a 1099-Q distribution for a dependent. I don't see how that is relevant!

[bob4]

It is definitely related to the 1099-Q.  I have the same scenario with both taxpayers being educators and a daughter in college.  I can move the 1099-Q between taxpayers and watch the educator expense deduction change.  The only way to get the full $500 deduction is to remove the 1099-Q. 

[mwloomis]

It has to be a system bug, there is no reason each spouse shouldn't get the $250 deduction. Unfortunately, no way to override it and have had to deal with it several years.