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I don't see how that article is useful.  In order to license the software it needs to contact the licensing server, if it can't contact the licensing server to check if it is licensed then it wouldn't allow you to license it a second or subsequent time.  I have also seen mention of an issue with removable media, if that is being considered as part of the hardware to determine if the machine is the same one attached to the license (similar to how windows Id's a machine) someone has some explaining to do.  I can't see why you would consider removable media when determining that since it is just that, removable and may no longer be there.  If that were the case, you would have to know what removable media was installed when you installed the software or it may continue to consider it a different machine.  That also begs the question of does that include drives that use bitlocker?   If so, will it not see the drive if you don't unlock it as part of the verification process?  I hope not.

If you are using the desktop software, you can use Forms mode and go directly to Schedule A from there.   If you are using the online version, you have to enter your income forms and/or estimated taxes paid.   If you made estimated or quarterly tax payments in 2025 toward your federal, state, or local taxes, enter them in the Estimates and Other Income Taxes Paid section. Navigate to the estimated tax payments section:   TurboTax Online/Mobile: Go to estimated tax payments under Deductions & credits in the Federal section. TurboTax Desktop: Go to the Federal Taxes, then Deductions & Credits. Select Estimates and Other Taxes Paid.   Select Start or Revisit next to the type of estimated tax payment you'd like to enter under Estimated Tax Payments. Enter the amount of estimated tax you paid at each of the quarterly due dates.   If you paid 2025 estimated taxes in 2025, you'll enter just one amount for each state or locality.

In TT 2026 Home & Business, the link, from the page for scheduling estimated tax payments for NY state is: https://accounts.intuit.com/app/sign-in?redirect_uri=https%3A%2F%2Fquarterly-payment.turbotax.intuit.com%2Fapp%2Fextra-filing-app-plugin%2Ftopic-experience%3Ffiling%3Destimatedpayment%26entity%3Dindividual%26state%3Dny&single_sign_on=false&appfabric=true   and once I sign in, I am redirected to: https://quarterly-payment.turbotax.intuit.com/app/extra-filing-app-plugin/topic-experience?filing=estimatedpayment&entity=individual&state=ny&iux_intuit_tid=xxxxxx (I blanked out the iux_intuit_tid in case that identifies me personally)   (I did not schedule estimated tax payments for Federal taxes, sorry.)

Solution to Reactivation Issue   I used TurboTax Deluxe Desktop to prepare a 2024 individual taxpayer return (on a Windows 11 desktop) and fill it in October, 2025.  The license for its use was purchased from Costco.  It had repeatedly opened the working file following initial activation in the Spring of 2025.    Sometime thereafter when I attempted to reopen that return again, 2024 TurboTax Deluxe Desktop popped up a prompt for another license activation.   I tried unplugging the USB cable to a recently installed printer, per a recommendation on this board, but that didn’t fix the problem.   I queried Perplexity AI (via its Comet browser) regarding the problem.  Among its suggestions was to disable Bitdefender Antivirus Plus, but that didn’t fix the problem.   However, when I told Perplexity that my 2024 Turbotax tax-return file was stored in a directory on drive D:, it instructed me to move or copy the file to the default Turbotax directory on drive C: (C:\Users[YourUsername]\Documents\TurboTax\2024 [creating a folder if needed]).  Next, I was to open TurboTax (“as admin” from the Windows 11’s start menu).  That succeeded!   ln the past, Turbotax 2024 (and all previous-year editions) didn’t  require the user’s file to be in its default directory, and I assume the change was introduced by a program update it downloaded sometime after October 14, 2025.  This requirement is unreasonable.  I urge Intuit to remove it from the 2024 version and not require that in 2025 nor future-year editions.

First, ensure the designation: For your RMD to qualify as a tax-free housing allowance, your 403(b) provider (the denominational pension board) must formally designate a portion of the distribution as housing allowance before the distribution is made. Most denominational providers (like GuideStone or AG Financial) automatically designate 100% of distributions as housing allowance for retired clergy Next, determine the allowed amount. It is the lowest of these 3 amounts: The amount officially designated by your 403(b) provider. Your actual housing expenses for the year (mortgage, utilities, repairs, etc.). The Fair Rental Value (FRV) of your home (fully furnished, including utilities) When you enter the 1099-R, the allowed housing allowance reduces the taxable amount. Hopefully to zero but if there is say $2,000 left (lowest of the 3 options) to be taxed, that $2,000 would show up on 1040 line 5b, taxable income.   To actually enter the form, see How do I enter a parsonage or housing allowance on a 1099-R?

The Washington capital gains tax is considered an excise tax and therefore is not deductible on your federal return.   The excise tax cannot be deducted from federal ordinary income because the levy does not fit within any of the types of state or local taxes nor does it reduce capital gains.  Anderson and other consultants may allude to the idea that it does reduce capital gains but this is not embedded in the IRS Tax code.   Another community discussion regarding the excise tax can be found here.