If TurboTax is asking for information about your parents, it's probably because you are subject to what's commonly called "kiddie tax." (Officially it's "Tax for Certain Children Who Have Unearned Income.") Under the kiddie tax your unearned income over $2,600 (for 2024) is taxed at your parents' tax rate. The tax is calculated on Form 8615. Obviously, in order to calculate the tax at your parents' rate, TurboTax needs information from your parents' tax return.
The IRS apparently never considered the possibility of a U.S. citizen who is subject to kiddie tax, but whose parents are foreign. They do not provide any instructions or guidance for this situation. I don't have a good solution for you. Several of the community Champions discussed this a few years ago. Here's the best solution we could come up with.
When TurboTax asks whether your parents are filing a joint tax return for 2024, answer Yes, even though they aren't. When it asks for your parents' taxable income, enter zero. That is true, since they have no U.S. taxable income. Leave all the other income questions blank. Also leave your parent's Social Security Number blank. When the error check tells you that the SSN must be entered, just click Continue. You will not be able to e-file. Print the tax return. In the space for the parents' Social Security numbers on Form 8615, write NRA (for NonResident Alien). Sign the tax return and file it by mail.
TurboTax Free Edition does not include Form 8615, so you will not be able to use Free Edition.
