Question

Why am I getting charged to use Turbotax now? I never have before and never selected an upgrade.

Forum|Forum|4 years ago
March 23, 2022
1 reply
0 views

No text available

TurboTax Premier Online

Employee

You appear to be using Online Premier, which is one of the higher-end paid products. Is there something in your return that required Premier? In Online TurboTax, Premier is necessary if you have to report sales of stocks/bonds/mutual funds, etc., or have rental/royalty income (Schedule E), need to enter a K-1, etc.

The Free Edition is only for simple tax returns, which means a Form 1040 only. You must have started in the wrong edition or upgraded somewhere along the line. If you don't need the upgrade, I'll tell you how to downgrade below--IF you can use the Free Edition. I'll also mention another alternative.

Situations covered in TurboTax Free Edition include:

W-2 income
Limited interest and dividend income reported on a 1099-INT or 1099-DIV
Claiming the standard deduction
Earned Income Tax Credit (EIC)
Child tax credits
Student Loan Interest deduction

Situations not covered in TurboTax Free Edition include:

Itemized deductions
Unemployment income reported on a 1099-G
Business or 1099-NEC income
Stock sales
Rental property income
Credits, deductions and income reported on schedules 1-3
Reporting K-1

If you think you can use Free Edition, you can use the "Clear and Start Over" feature and then select it (as long as you haven't already paid or registered the return.)

https://ttlc.intuit.com/community/using-turbotax/help/how-do-i-clear-and-start-over-in-turbotax-onli...

Or here's an alternative:

You may be able to use one of the providers at the IRS Free File website, where you should not encounter form limitations as long as you meet the other criteria.

They vary a bit in requirements so examine the different providers' info carefully.

Some also provide free state returns, but might not prepare all states.

https://www.irs.gov/filing/free-file-do-your-federal-taxes-for-free

When going to one of those provider websites, be sure to go through the link on the IRS page. That's how it knows to offer you the free IRS promo. You may have to go to the provider website to see exactly what free state returns are also included or not.

The IRS also has another option: Free Fillable Forms, where you input directly into IRS electronic forms, but that method has some limitations, no guidance, and little error checking, so it should be used by more-experienced filers. And it cannot prepare a state return.