@noftsierb It seems that you are pretty confused about how the fees are structured. You pay one fee to get the CD/download. Every version of the CD/download includes all forms and all schedules. You are not charged additional fees for certain schedules when you use the CD/download--which is also referred to as desktop software. The CD/download can be Basic, Deluxe, Premier or Home and Business. If you purchase a version of the CD/download and decide you WANT to upgrade to a higher version just for more guidance you can do that----but you do not have to upgrade to get to any specific forms or schedules. And...when you use desktop software, your tax files are not stored in an online account. They are stored on your own hard drive or on any backup device you use like a flash drive. They are NOT stored on a TT server.
It is only when you use online TurboTax that you pay a higher fee for upgrading to a higher version of the software---the online choices include the Free Edition, Deluxe or Premium. If you start in Free Edition and enter information not supported by that version, you are upgraded to a paid version. Depending on what that information is, you might have to upgrade to Deluxe or to Premium. With online TurboTax, your tax files are stored in an online account. You have the opportunity to save those files as pdf's and download them to your own computer, or you can just leave them in the online account. Online saves them for seven years; after seven years they are gone.
With the CD/download you get up to five federal e-files; you can prepare and file more than five federal returns (for other family members, etc.) if those extra returns are sent in by mail.
With the online software, you get ONE return per fee. If you have to prepare more than one return for another family member, etc. that family member needs their own account and user ID, and if they are using a paid version, they have to pay.
**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.**
