sharing deductions - order and %

[Bummer85]

My wife and I can share charitable and medical expenses/deductions

We can also split pensions

How do we know how to do so to our best advantage including

      a.    which ones to share/split

      b.    % to share

      c.     order in which to share

Would it be better to file separate returns and put all deductions on one return?

Our incomes are very different so I suspect it makes a difference   

In the program the maximizing tool seems to do only one at a time and as if the others don't exist

 (PS   would also like a turbotax answer as to whether the permutations are considered within the program)

[TurboTaxSusan]

TurboTax has optimizers for charitable donations, medical expenses and pension splitting, but the optimizers don't work together. The best thing to do would be to make a few returns and play around with the numbers. Then you can just file the one that works best for you and your wife.

You don't want to prepare your returns separately, because then the optimizers won't work because only one spouse's info will be there.

[Bummer85]

Shouldn't the program come with the best order already figured by the program?

[TurboTaxSusan]

TurboTax does try to come up with the best solution, but it goes off of what was chosen by the optimizers (or yourself). It doesn't run through different scenarios by itself. 

Our parent company Intuit is investing in AI technology, so in the future TurboTax will get smarter and be able to find more optimal solutions on its own.

[Bummer85]

I have been asking this question since I retired over 25  years - EVERY year.   Isn't it about time that with the computer power available it become one of the options under Tools?

(That means I've been buying turbotax longer than that)

I shouldn't have to try the permutations after purchasing the program.  It should be part of the program.

[TurboTaxBrenda]

We appreciate your feedback and will bring it to our team. 

Thank you for choosing TurboTax.

[rickgrass]

after all these years you have not figured out how to incorporate optimizers without paying extra for it?