How do I get to the free filing for state and Federal? That’s the one I chose and now they want me to pay.

Forum|Forum|4 months ago
January 23, 2026
3 replies
20 views

Need to file free, federal and state

TurboTax Online

DoninGA

Level 15

The TurboTax Free online edition is for very simple tax returns that do not require any other form or schedule other than the Form 1040. If your tax data requires entry on any other form or schedule then you must upgrade to the Deluxe edition or higher.

If you have not paid for the online edition you are using, have not filed your tax return or registered the Free edition, then you can clear your return and start over with a lower priced edition. Click on Switch Products on the lower left side of the program screen while working on the 2025 online tax return. Click on Clear & Start Over

Go to this TurboTax website for the Free online edition - https://turbotax.intuit.com/personal-taxes/online/free-edition.jsp

Please Note -

TurboTax Online: Important Details about Filing Form 1040 Returns with Limited Credits

A Form 1040 return with limited credits is one that's filed using IRS Form 1040 only (with the exception of the specific covered situations described below). Roughly 37% of taxpayers are eligible.

If you have a Form 1040 return and are claiming limited credits only, you can file for free yourself with TurboTax Free Edition or TurboTax Live Assisted Basic (if available), or you can file with TurboTax Full Service at the listed price.

Situations covered (assuming no added tax complexity):

W-2 income
Interest or dividends (1099-INT/1099-DIV) that don’t require filing a Schedule B
IRS standard deduction
Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC)
Child Tax Credit (CTC)
Student loan interest deduction
Situations not covered:
- Itemized deductions claimed on Schedule A
- Unemployment income reported on a 1099-G
- Business or 1099-NEC income
- Stock sales (including crypto investments)
- Rental property income
- Credits, deductions and income reported on other forms or schedules

Kapus21

Level 2

How do I get a direct confirmation of why TT is NOT filing for free when I am

a dependent, only have 2 W-2s and student loan interest to submit.

CatinaT1

Level 15

If you only have W2's and student loan interest, you should qualify. Do you have Schedule 1, 2 or 3 in your return?

Everyone's tax situation is different and the complexity of your tax situation, meaning the forms needed to file your return, determines if you qualify for the TurboTax Free Edition.

The TurboTax Free Edition is strictly limited to simple Form 1040 returns. If your return requires additional schedules to report specific types of income or to claim certain credits, the system will prompt you to upgrade to TurboTax Deluxe or higher.

Here are the most common reasons you would be required to upgrade to a paid version:

Unemployment Income: If you received a 1099-G for unemployment benefits, this is no longer covered under the Free Edition for the 2025 tax year.
Itemized Deductions: If you are claiming deductions for mortgage interest, property taxes, or large charitable contributions on Schedule A instead of taking the standard deduction.
Investment Income: Reporting stock sales, cryptocurrency transactions, or rental property income.
Self-Employment/Gig Work: If you have 1099-NEC or 1099-K income and need to deduct business expenses on Schedule C.
Education Credits: Claiming the American Opportunity Tax Credit or Lifetime Learning Credit (Form 8863).

To see if you have forms that are not included in the free edition:

Sign in to your TurboTax Online account.
Select Tax Tools from the left menu and then click Tools.
Click on View Tax Summary.
Look for Schedules 1, 2, or 3. If any of these are present (other than for the Student Loan Interest deduction or the EITC/Child Tax Credit), an upgrade is required.

If you want to start over to remove an accidental entry:

Select Tax Tools
Clear and Start Over
This will erase all data entered so far

**Say "Thanks" by clicking the thumb icon in a post. **Mark the post that answers your question by clicking on "Mark as Best Answer"

xmasbaby0

Level 15

HOW CAN I DOWNGRADE TO A LOWER VERSION

https://ttlc.intuit.com/turbotax-support/en-us/help-article/change-service-level/downgrade-lower-priced-version-turbotax-online/L2IDaMvkt_US_en_US?uid=m6ilzady

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 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. If you started in the Free Edition and entered any data that required any extra forms or schedules, you have to upgrade to a paid version and if you are watching the screens carefully you are alerted to the upgrade.

TurboTax Online: Important Details about Filing Simple Form 1040 Returns

If you have a simple Form 1040 return only (no forms or schedules except as needed to claim the Earned Income Tax Credit, Child Tax Credit or student loan interest), you can file for free yourself with TurboTax Free Edition, or you can file with TurboTax Live Assisted Basic at the listed price. Roughly 37% of taxpayers are eligible.

Examples of situations included in a simple Form 1040 return (assuming no added tax complexity):

W-2 income
Interest, dividends or original issue discounts (1099-INT/1099-DIV/1099-OID) that don’t require filing a Schedule B
IRS standard deduction
Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC)
Child Tax Credit (CTC)
Student loan interest deduction
Taxable qualified retirement plan distributions
Examples of situations not included in a simple Form 1040 return:
- Itemized deductions claimed on Schedule A, like charitable contributions, medical expenses, mortgage interest and state and local tax deductions
- Unemployment income reported on a 1099-G
- Business or 1099-NEC income (often reported by those who are self-employed, gig workers or freelancers)
- Stock sales (including crypto investments)
- Income from rental property or property sales
- Credits, deductions and income reported on other forms or schedules
  
  How can I see my TurboTax fees?
  
  https://ttlc.intuit.com/turbotax-support/en-us/help-article/intuit-account-billing/review-fees-turbotax-online/L1XnIzgzg_US_en_US?uid=m682vq7k
  
  If your TurboTax fees are higher than expected, you can reduce them by removing add-ons (BEFORE you e-file) :
  - Remove Premium Services
  - Remove MAX Defend & Restore
  - Remove a state
  - Remove PLUS Help & Support
  - Remove Pay With Your Refund
    
    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/

**Disclaimer: Every effort has been made to offer the most correct information possible. The poster disclaims any legal responsibility for the accuracy of the information that is contained in this post.**

curtturbo

Level 2

One more time. What is the process to get free filing with TTax? I enter all the information with the acceptable forms, yet I am supposed to pay. They have me in basic program and cannot switch to free. All you can do is clear and see if TTax will correctly allow you file for free…getting very time consuming.
Has anyone been able to file for free? What’s the trick…file only on mobile device and not desktop?