All Posts

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      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  1095A for marketplace health insurance   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/   Or—if you live in certain states you may be eligible to use the new IRS Direct File     In Filing Season 2025, Direct File will be available in Alaska, Arizona, California, Connecticut, Florida, Idaho, Kansas, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.    https://directfile.irs.gov/   https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/jy2629        

Came here to say this. have used turbotax for years but this is a scummy tactic to get more of my money. I will gladly pay the standard fee for the service, but as my taxes are simple the advanced options are not used but i am FORCED into using it as it gives me no choice. Therefore scummy website stealing my money.  

Online TurboTax does not have forms mode.   You can preview your Form 1040 and the Schedules 1, 2, or 3.  To see any of the other forms or schedules you need to pay your fees and print.   PREVIEW 1040 https://ttlc.intuit.com/turbotax-support/en-us/help-article/tax-return/preview-turbotax-online-return-filing/L77WCkvnu_US_en_US?uid=m681fkhr     https://ttlc.intuit.com/community/printing/help/can-i-print-a-copy-of-my-turbotax-online-return-before-i-file-it/00/26244  

Have you tried setting your computer layout setting to the recommended setting.  The size of your text, apps, and other items is too large.  When it is too large, it prohibits the items on the software from displaying.  This is why you cannot see the Continue button.  To fix this:   1. Right-click on your desktop and go to display settings. 2.  Scroll down to Scale and Layout and make sure it is set to the Recommended (possibly 100%) on your computer 3.  Have your display resolution at the recommended as well.

Same problem of requesting State ID encountered in 2024 return. In the last stage of transmittance of efiling it asked for Tax ID I opened the 1099 INT Worksheet. Entered zero in the places where it was blank In the State selection at the end I selected Multiple States from the drop down menu Went back to filing  It transmitted successfully

Federal and state refunds come from completely separate entities,  There is no rule as to which one will come first or how much time there will be between their arrivals.  Some states process returns quickly and some are very slow.   STATE RETURN Make sure your state return was accepted:  https://turbotax.intuit.com/tax-tools/efile-status-lookup/   To track your state refund:       ttps://ttlc.intuit.com/turbotax-support/en-us/help-article/tax-refund/track-state-refund/L3jgO8PGs_US_en_US?uid=lt447ebr https://ttlc.intuit.com/turbotax-support/en-us/help-article/state-taxes/contact-state-department-revenue/L9qVToi02_US_en_US?uid=m6e06um0

Try Delete a Form:   Windows instructions Open or continue your return. Switch to Forms Mode by selecting the Forms icon. From the menu, select the form you want to remove. After the form is generated in the right pane, select the Delete Form button. Follow any onscreen instructions to remove the form or forms. Mac instructions Open or continue your return. Switch to Forms Mode by selecting the Forms icon. From the menu, select the form you want to remove (if you don't see it, select Open Form at the top). From the Forms menu, select Remove [form name]. Follow any onscreen instructions to remove the form or forms.

Qualified Tuition Plans  (QTP 529 Plans) Distributions General Discussion It’s complicated. For 529 plans, there is an “owner” (usually the parent), and a “beneficiary” (usually the student dependent). The "recipient" of the distribution can be either the owner or the beneficiary depending on who the money was sent to. When the money goes directly from the Qualified Tuition Plan (QTP) to the school, the student is the "recipient". The distribution will be reported on IRS form 1099-Q.  The 1099-Q gets reported on the recipient's return.** The recipient's name & SS# will be on the 1099-Q. Even though the 1099-Q is going on the student's return, the 1098-T should go on the parent's return, so you can claim the education credit. You can do this because he is your dependent. You can and should claim the tuition credit before claiming the 529 plan earnings exclusion. The American Opportunity Credit (AOC or AOTC) is 100% of the first $2000 of tuition and 25% of the next $2000 ($2500 maximum credit). The educational expenses he claims for the 1099-Q should be reduced by the amount of educational expenses you claim for the credit. But be aware, you can not double dip. You cannot count the same tuition money, for the tuition credit,  that gets him an exclusion from the taxability of the earnings (interest) on the 529 plan. Since the credit is more generous; use as much of the tuition as is needed for the credit and the rest for the interest exclusion. Another special rule allows you to claim the tuition credit regardless of whose money was used to pay the tuition. In addition, there is another rule that says the 10% penalty is waived if he was unable to cover the 529 plan withdrawal with educational expenses either because he got scholarships or the expenses were used (by him or the parents) to claim the credits. He'll have to pay tax on the earnings, at his lower tax rate (subject to the “kiddie tax”), but not the penalty.   Total qualified expenses (including room & board) less amounts paid by scholarship less amounts used to claim the Tuition credit equals the amount you can use to claim the earnings exclusion on the 1099-Q.  Example:   $10,000 in educational expenses(including room & board which is only qualified for the 1099-Q)    -$3000 paid by tax free scholarship***    -$4000 used to claim the American Opportunity credit  =$3000 Can be used against the 1099-Q (on the recipient’s return)   Box 1 of the 1099-Q is $5000 Box 2 is $2800 3000/5000=60% of the earnings are tax free; 40% are taxable 40% x 2800= $1120 There is  $1120 of taxable income (on the recipient’s return)   **Alternatively; you can just not report the 1099-Q, at all, if your student-beneficiary has sufficient educational expenses, including room & board (even if he lives at home) to cover the distribution. You would still have to do the math to see if there were enough expenses left over for you to claim the tuition credit. Again, you cannot double dip!  When the box 1 amount on form 1099-Q is fully covered by expenses, TurboTax will enter nothing about the 1099-Q on the actual tax forms. But, it will prepare a 1099-Q worksheet for your records, in case of an IRS inquiry. On form 1099-Q, instructions to the recipient reads: "Nontaxable distributions from CESAs and QTPs are not required to be reported on your income tax return. You must determine the taxability of any distribution."  ***Another alternative is have the student report some of his scholarship as taxable income, to free up some expenses for the 1099-Q and/or tuition credit. Most people come out better having the scholarship taxable before the 529 earnings. A student, with no other income, can have up to $14,600 of taxable scholarship (in 2024) and still pay no income tax. 

Same problem of requesting State ID encountered in 2024 return. In the last stage of transmittance of efiling it asked for Tax ID I opened the 1099 INT Worksheet. Entered zero in the places where it was blank In the State selection at the end I selected Multiple States from the drop down menu Went back to filing  It transmitted successfully