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I agree on all points.    But if Intuit decided to extend the service 9as it did in 2023), then that extension should be in increments that align with the tax calendar.  Canceling mid-year with little advance warning leaves the user base (small, but still 100K users by Intuit's own accounting) literally stranded.  My main disappointment is not with the decision to cancel the service (although I found it extremely useful) but with the lack of customer consideration with the communication and timing of the cancellation.

For the January deadline, figure out your "safe harbor" calculation for 2025 i.e. during the year you need to have paid thru withholding or timely (usually quarterly) estimated taxes (ES), the smaller of: 100% of your 2024 tax (110% if AGI > 150k or 75k if filing MFS), or 90% of your 2025 tax.   The deadline for Q4 ES payment to meet the safe harbor is due 1/15/26, and then you owe the balance of your tax by 4/15/26.   However even if you pay by January to cover your safe harbor, you may still have a penalty by default if you didn't pay ES throughout the year; by default IRS assumes all your income is earned evenly by quarter and the ES payments need to line up with those.  You can file Form 2210 Annualized Income method to show how the timing of the income and ES by quarter line up, and hopefully if the withdrawal and ES payments were both in Q4 you may be able to reduce or eliminate the penalty.   When you prepare your filing, keep eye on line 38 on Form 1040 for the penalty calculated by default, and under Other Tax Situations / Underpayment Penalty you can work thru the AI method to try and reduce it.   See Form 2210 for more info, and Lines 1-9 for the safe harbor calculation.

I doubt it, but they should.  I’ve been using TT for over 30 years, since about the time Intuit bought it.  The last few years have gotten progressively worse with late forms, inability to correctly calculate key (and somewhat common) items, and late forms.  This year is the worst so far.   I don’t want to use a cloud-based tax system, and TT has one of the few desktop/local systems left. But I may switch after this year if they don’t come through with some explanations, improvements and “accommodations”.

Where did you see the word "approved" for your 2021 refund?   TurboTax never tells you that your refund was approved.  TT only tells you that your e-file was accepted.   "approved" must come from the IRS.   Did the IRS refund site say that your 2021 refund was approved?   If so, you need to have the refund traced.     LOST REFUND CHECK   https://ttlc.intuit.com/turbotax-support/en-us/help-article/import-export-data-files/save-2021-turbotax-online-return-pdf/L8dHfRkpT_US_en_US?uid=m7e64td0  

@kostopst   I just found the article on How to use the Online version you bought from a store https://ttlc.intuit.com/turbotax-support/en-us/help-article/register-activate-services/como-empiezo-usar-turbotax-online-que-compre-en/L35Wg9uJ9_US_en_US

Some stores or Amazon this year for 2025 returns are selling a code for the Online version.  I just found this article.  How to use the Online version you bought from a store https://ttlc.intuit.com/turbotax-support/en-us/help-article/register-activate-services/como-empiezo-usar-turbotax-online-que-compre-en/L35Wg9uJ9_US_en_US

Why are you trying to pay with refund now?  It is probably too early for your 2025 return.   If you want to view or print your whole return before you file  you will need to pay the fees upfront with a credit card.     Or are you trying to do a 2024 return?    

How far do you get?  Will this help?  How to get started with the Desktop program, install and activate it https://ttlc.intuit.com/turbotax-support/en-us/help-article/product-delivery/download-software-turbotax-com/L7u9oLEkq_US_en_US?uid=luqgvzrd   Troubleshooting Mac issues https://ttlc.intuit.com/turbotax-support/en-us/help-article/update-products/troubleshoot-turbotax-mac-updating-issues/L2QTZw9Xr_US_en_US?uid=mj0wk6xo

Also here is what google ai said: Your logic and math are correct for the 2025 tax year. Under the scenario provided, you would not need to file Form 709. Your strategy utilizes two distinct tax provisions: the Unlimited Educational Exclusion and the Support Obligation for dependents.   Step 1: Apply the Unlimited Educational Exclusion Under Internal Revenue Code Section 2503(e), payments made directly to a qualifying educational institution for tuition are not considered gifts. This exclusion is unlimited and does not count toward your annual gift tax limit. Tuition: $10,000 (Paid directly) = $0 reportable gift. Step 2: Categorize Support for a Dependent For a student who qualifies as your dependent, payments for "necessaries" such as food and housing are considered a fulfillment of a legal obligation of support. Because these payments are support and not "gifts," they are generally excluded from gift tax reporting entirely. Housing and Food: $15,000 (Support) = $0 reportable gift. Step 3: Allocate the Scholarship to Remaining Costs Mandatory fees (unlike tuition) do not qualify for the unlimited educational exclusion. However, your allocation of the unrestricted scholarship effectively reduces the reportable "gift" portion of the expenses to zero. Mandatory Fees: $5,000 Scholarship applied to Fees: -$5,000 Remaining reportable amount: $0 Answer: The math holds up. Even if you chose to ignore the "support" argument and treated everything except tuition as a gift, you would still be well within the 2025 individual annual exclusion of $19,000. Total Potential Gift = (Fees + Housing) - Scholarship Total Potential Gift = ($5,000 + $15,000) - $5,000 = $15,000 $15,000 < $19,000 Since the total non-exempt amount ($15,000) is less than the $19,000 individual limit, no Form 709 is required. Key Consideration: Ensure the tuition and fees are paid directly to the school rather than giving the cash to the student. If you give the cash to the student to pay the school themselves, the tuition exclusion is lost, and the entire amount counts against your annual $19,000 limit.

Also here is what google ai said: Your logic and math are correct for the 2025 tax year. Under the scenario provided, you would not need to file Form 709. Your strategy utilizes two distinct tax provisions: the Unlimited Educational Exclusion and the Support Obligation for dependents.   Step 1: Apply the Unlimited Educational Exclusion Under Internal Revenue Code Section 2503(e), payments made directly to a qualifying educational institution for tuition are not considered gifts. This exclusion is unlimited and does not count toward your annual gift tax limit. Tuition: $10,000 (Paid directly) = $0 reportable gift. Step 2: Categorize Support for a Dependent For a student who qualifies as your dependent, payments for "necessaries" such as food and housing are considered a fulfillment of a legal obligation of support. Because these payments are support and not "gifts," they are generally excluded from gift tax reporting entirely. Housing and Food: $15,000 (Support) = $0 reportable gift. Step 3: Allocate the Scholarship to Remaining Costs Mandatory fees (unlike tuition) do not qualify for the unlimited educational exclusion. However, your allocation of the unrestricted scholarship effectively reduces the reportable "gift" portion of the expenses to zero. Mandatory Fees: $5,000 Scholarship applied to Fees: -$5,000 Remaining reportable amount: $0 Answer: The math holds up. Even if you chose to ignore the "support" argument and treated everything except tuition as a gift, you would still be well within the 2025 individual annual exclusion of $19,000. Total Potential Gift = (Fees + Housing) - Scholarship Total Potential Gift = ($5,000 + $15,000) - $5,000 = $15,000 $15,000 < $19,000 Since the total non-exempt amount ($15,000) is less than the $19,000 individual limit, no Form 709 is required. Key Consideration: Ensure the tuition and fees are paid directly to the school rather than giving the cash to the student. If you give the cash to the student to pay the school themselves, the tuition exclusion is lost, and the entire amount counts against your annual $19,000 limit.