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@rudygac wrote: I have tried to turn off the S mode, but can't tell if it's on or not. https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/windows-10-and-windows-11-in-s-mode-faq-851057d6-1ee9-b9e5-c30b-93baebeebc85#windowsversion=windows_11

I know expenses paid at the end of the calendar year for a term starting in the beginning of the next can be claimed the calendar year they were paid.  This is the opposite because of the lag in billing.   But more to the point, if she pays the entire bill from the apartment complex (January rent and November electricity) in January, and continues every month until May, will se have to prorate the entire May payment since graduation is May 5, or can she just prorate the rent part for those 5 days, but claim the entire electricity charge, and also claim the electricity bill(s) for April (which will be due in June) and May (the apartment complex will prorate for her ending the date she turns in the key, at least they didn't charge her electricity for August until she picked up her key even though we paid rent July 1 and August 1) which she'll probably get a separate bill for, either later in June or in July?   It's the electricity bill being charged 2 months in arrears which has got me confused as to how to claim.  We paid $11 for a few days' worth of electricity in August, before classes started the day after Labor Day, we have not claimed that from the 529 and wouldn't, just as we didn't submit for July or August rent.  But I want to make sure that she is allowed to claim all the electricity she used during the spring semester, and it would be really nice if she could pay and claim fall electricity (at least to include November - from the December meter read) before the end of 2025 but we just don't know when she'll even get the bill for that, it may be too close to the end of the year to submit it to the 529.  Since it's likely to be around $150/mo for November I'd like to get that covered by the fall COA because spring electricity bills to include December - April (and 5 days in May) are going to be more, because of the extra month, even though the COA for the semester is the same.  If we don't find a way to pay and submit the November electricity bill before the end of 2025, fall's R&B expenses will look like 4 months' rent and groceries, but only 2 months' electricity, and spring's expenses will be 4.25 months' rent and groceries but 6.25 months' electricity.  I'd like to shift that to 3 months' electricity in the fall and 5.25 months (as long as the last 2 months' can be paid after graduation and still be allowed to be reimbursed) in the spring.

I have tried to turn off the S mode, but can't tell if it's on or not.  I've gone to activation, and it says I have a digital license, but that's about I can do.  I go to the microsoft store like it says, but can't figure that out  either.  Tried the 'off the anti virius' and that didn't help.  And Win update says I have all the required equipment.  So, I think there must be something about TT25....  I'll try to use your links and thank you for the suggestions.

if the Dell has S-mode you need to permanently turn it off. does it meet minimum system requirements? https://turbotax.intuit.com/personal-taxes/cd-download/tta-system-requirements/  have you tried turning off any antivirus software/firewall until installed? do you get an error message?  your final recourse is support   https://ttlc.intuit.com/turbotax-support/en-us/help-article/account-management/contact-turbotax/L2y9ZKpQB_US_en_US?uid=mhv11wb1 

We are are not TurboTax employees.   The folks who are replying to your questions here in the user forum are other users like yourself --  strictly volunteers.    Some of us have answered so many questions that we have been deemed to be "Champs" by Intuit -- but we are not on the payroll.       To call TurboTax customer support https://ttlc.intuit.com/turbotax-support/en-us/help-article/account-management/contact-turbotax/L2y9ZKpQB_US_en_US?uid=m5s9l2vh   Monday- Friday 5 a.m. to 5 p.m. Pacific time  

So what would be the point of having the live support? If I'm trying to get help because I'm unsure of how this works (not an accountant) and I express this to the agent, "I feel like this is wrong, and I should be owing taxes?", they look it over, and say everything looks great. And then IRS says, no of course you owe us (about what I'd expected and saved, before I was promised a refund). What was the help I paid for? If the software gets it wrong, and then the live agent gets it wrong, what exactly was I paying for? Also, there's obvsl TurboTax agents here answering, they can surely keep the support open on a throwaway holiday that most people don't even get off. 

@user17628882651 And....TurboTax is not "tracking" your refund.   TurboTax gets no information whatsoever from the IRS after you file your return.   Once you file your return, you have to track the refund yourself on the IRS and state tax refund sites.  TurboTax will never know why you ended up owing more----TT has no way to know if you owed child support, back taxes, etc.   The IRS sends you a letter to tell you if they change the amount of your refund.   Once your federal return has been accepted by the IRS, only the IRS has any control.  TurboTax does not receive any updates from the IRS. Your ONLY source of information about your refund now is the IRS.     You need your filing status, your Social Security number and the exact amount  (line 35a of your 2024 Form 1040) of your federal refund to track your Federal refund:    https://www.irs.gov/refunds   To track your state refund:     https://ttlc.intuit.com/turbotax-support/en-us/help-article/tax-refund/track-state-refund/L3jgO8PGs_US_en_US?uid=lt447ebr  

@user17628882651 ...."there is no holiday..."    Today is Veteran's Day---a federal holiday ----banks and post offices and many businesses are closed.  Customer support will become available again on Wednesday, 11-12-2025.   Customer support is normally available at this time of year Monday-Friday 5 a.m. to 5 p.m. Pacific time.       Did you choose to have your TurboTax fees deducted from your federal refund?  Is your refund taking an unusually long time to arrive?  Or was your refund seized to pay a debt you owed? if so, you signed an agreement that says TT can withdraw its fees from your account.  TurboTax would have sent several emails to you before they took the money out of your account.   https://ttlc.intuit.com/turbotax-support/en-us/help-article/intuit-account-billing/bank-account-auto-debited-turbotax-fees/L3rDdVynu_US_en_US?uid=m6bdgedq   TURBOTAX SAYS: How do you justify debiting my account? The provision is spelled out in the Pay With My Refund Agreement, which you agreed to when you opted to pay with your refund. In addition, by clicking the "I Agree" button below, you electronically sign and authorize Intuit (through its third party processor) to debit the TurboTax Fees, Additional Products and Services Purchased and any applicable sales tax from your bank account number identified in the Agreement below, in the event that you do not receive a tax refund that is sufficient to pay for them.       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      

  ACCURACY GUARANTEE   TurboTax provides do-it-yourself tax software.  TurboTax guarantees the calculations done by its software.   The information entered into that software is data entered by you, the user.   TurboTax cannot and does not check that information against any outside sources, so TT cannot know if you entered your information completely or correctly.   It is up to you to enter all of your information correctly and completely, and to check your tax return before you file it.  If you forget to enter some income, or enter it incorrectly, enter it in the wrong place, etc. then you may end up owing additional tax to the IRS and/or state.  TurboTax does not pay the additional tax you owe.   If TurboTax’s calculations were incorrect, and you owe penalties and/or interest, then TT will pay the penalties and interest.  The tax due is always owed by you, and must be paid by you.   If you need to enter a claim for the accuracy guarantee:   https://ttlc.intuit.com/turbotax-support/en-us/help-article/intuit-account-billing/submit-claim-turb...  

Q.  Should she pay the entire January bill  in December if we think there is enough time to claim reimbursement from the 529? A. Expenses for an academic term that starts in the first 3 months of 2026, but are paid for in 2025 count for educational tax benefits on your 2025 tax return. So, yes, a 529 distribution, in 2025,  would be valid.    But, again, in most off campus situations, the COA is going to govern.   Any expenses paid in January 2026 cannot be counted towards a 529 distribution taken in 2025.  Any expenses incurred in 2025, but not paid for until 2026, cannot be counted toward either a 2025 or 2026 529 distribution.     

@y2kdad365  without understanding how your employer reports on the pay stub, it would be hard to determine.   Suggest asking your employer of the YTD number includes or excludes the "extra withholdings".