Does a 19 year old college student qualify for TurboTax free file?

[xmasbaby0]

Maybe.   The Free Edition can only be used for very simple returns.   If he has just a W-2, he should be fine to use the Free Edition.   If he has a 1099NEC, he cannot use the Free Edition.   

[xmasbaby0]

WHY DO I HAVE TO PAY?  I WANT THE FREE EDITION

The information that you can enter in Free Edition is pretty limited now.  Thanks to the new tax laws that began for 2018 returns, there are no more simple Form 1040EZ or 1040A's.  Everything goes on a Form 1040 that has three extra "schedules" with it, and if you need any of those schedules, you are not able to use the Free Edition.  Using the standard deduction instead of itemizing does NOT mean you will not need any of those schedules.https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/4511011-what-happened-to-the-1040a-and-1040ez   If you started in the Free Edition and entered any data that required any of those three schedules, you have to upgrade to a paid version and if you are watching the screens carefully you are alerted to the upgrade.

When you chose to “start”  in the Free Edition —

Directly below the words “Free Edition” there is a blue link that says “For simple tax returns only”   If you click that link it brings up this information:

You can file with TurboTax Free Edition if you have a simple tax return.*

*A simple tax return is Form 1040 only.

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

How does TurboTax make any money?

Customers with more complex tax situations will file with our paid TurboTax products that provide all the additional forms and guidance they need. We also offer additional benefits that go beyond filing your taxes, but they are optional and are not required to file simple taxes for free. We hope that, over time, as our customers with simple returns need more capabilities as their financial situations change (for example owning a home, having a child, managing investments), they have loved our products and services so much that they will choose our paid TurboTax offerings to prepare and file their returns.

Or—-Use this IRS site for other ways to file for free.  There are 8  free software versions available from the IRS Free File site

https://apps.irs.gov/app/freeFile/

How can I see my TurboTax  fees?   

https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/2565973-how-do-i-review-my-fees-in-turbotax-online

If your TurboTax fees are higher than expected, you can reduce them by removing add-ons:

• Remove Premium Services
• Remove MAX Defend & Restore
• Remove a state
• Remove PLUS Help & Support
• Remove Pay With Your Refund

[Anonymous]

The only thing besides a 1040 is a 1098-T.

?? 

[xmasbaby0]

@Anonymous If your 19 year old is a full-time student then you can claim him as a dependent.  If he is your dependent then YOU are the one who uses the 1098T for the education credit on your own tax return.  Dependents cannot get education credits.   Make sure your son knows he must say on his own tax return that he can be claimed as someone else's dependent.

[Anonymous]

Wow, as usual these things get complicated. But to the point of my original question, the reason I asked is I got to the point of filing the federal tax return of another companies "free" filing option only for them to tell me that you have to be age 20 to qualify for the free filing.

So as long as that is not the case here, then my 19 yr old can switch to TurboTax. 

To the other issue with the 1098-t, this was issued because my daughter was taking dual credit classes at a college while a senior in high school. So that money for college tuition was from the state (Ohio). So does that change anything? 

[xmasbaby0]

If your child was still in high school for the year that 1098T was issued for, do not waste the American Opportunity Credit on that.  Wait and use that education credit for when she is a full-time college student.

https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/1901172-what-education-tax-credits-are-available      

https://www.irs.gov/help/ita/am-i-eligible-to-claim-an-education-credit

https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/3262983-who-is-eligible-to-take-the-american-opportunity-tax-credi...

https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/3383321-why-didn-t-i-get-a-credit-or-deduction-for-education-expen...

https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/1901526-what-s-the-income-limit-for-the-american-opportunity-and-l...

https://ttlc.intuit.com/community/credits-and-deductions/help/what-expenses-qualify-for-the-lifetime...

https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/3262984-who-is-eligible-for-the-lifetime-learning-credit

[Anonymous]

Yes she graduated highschool last year (2022). The 1098-t is from that spring semester (not the current college) before graduation. 

From what I could tell from the other tax prep software I was trying to use, I don't think it made a difference anyway because it didn't seem to change anything, she only made around $6000 and was getting the little bit she paid in taxes back in a refund. 

[Cynthiad66]

The point being made earlier by xmasbaby0 related to the Education Credit.  You are only allowed to use the American Opportunity Credit for 4 yours so don't waste it on this year.  When she is full time College student she will get a larger credit.

@Anonymous

[Hal_Al]

A 1098-T does not get entered on the student's tax return, even though it is in his name and SS#.  if it goes anywhere, it goes on the parent's return. 

So, without a 1098-T to enter, the student should be able to use the free edition of TT. 

[Anonymous]

Ok great thanks.