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HOW CAN I DOWNGRADE TO A LOWER VERSION https://ttlc.intuit.com/turbotax-support/en-us/help-article/change-service-level/downgrade-lower-priced-version-turbotax-online/L2IDaMvkt_US_en_US?uid=m6ilzady     WHY DO I HAVE TO PAY?  I WANT THE FREE EDITION   The information that you can enter in Free Edition is pretty limited now.  Thanks to the tax laws that began for 2018 returns, there are no more simple Form 1040EZ or 1040A's.  Everything goes on a Form 1040 that has three extra "schedules" with it, and if you need any of those schedules, you are not able to use the Free Edition.  Using the standard deduction instead of itemizing does NOT mean you will not need any of those schedules.   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        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     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/  

Sorry---W-2 employees cannot deduct job-related expenses on a federal return.  Job-related expenses were eliminated as a federal deduction for W-2 employees by the tax laws that changed for 2018 and beyond.  Your state tax laws might be different in AL, AR, CA, HI, MN, NY or PA.     If you are preparing a return for a state that lets you deduct job-related expenses, the information will flow from your federal return  to the state return, so enter it in Federal>Deductions and Credits>Employment Expenses>Job-Related Expenses

Did you click that big orange button that said “Transmit my return now?”  If you did that, you cannot do anything to fix it yet.  You have to wait for the email that tells you if your return was accepted or rejected.   Since the IRS will not begin to accept/reject returns until January 26, you are going to be waiting in “pending” for awhile.  Your return is sitting on a server, where you cannot fix  it or get it back.   You cannot change or add anything on the return that you just e-filed, nor can you stop it.  It is too late, just like when you put an envelope in a US mailbox on the corner.  The IRS does not allow you to take it back.   If you left out a W-2, a 1099G, or a dependent, or a 1099 etc…DO NOT change your return while it is “pending.”  The changes will go nowhere.   Now you have to wait until the IRS either rejects or accepts your return.  If your return is rejected, you will be able to go into your account and make the necessary changes to your tax return and re-submit your return.     If the IRS accepts your return, however, then you have to wait longer until it has been fully processed and you have received your refund.  THEN you can prepare an amended tax return and e-file or mail  it in. You have to be able to work from that return exactly the way it was when it was e-filed originally.  You will need to use a form called a 1040X.     Meanwhile, DO NOT go in and start changing anything on your return in the system, or you will make a mess for yourself.  Sit tight and wait until you see what the IRS does with the return you just e-filed   The Form 1040X you need becomes available in late February,  But wait until your return has been processed.  

MY RETURN IS IN PENDING—what does that mean?   You will not get any information from the IRS refund site while your return is in pending.  The IRS does not have your return yet.   Did you e-file?  Did you click that big orange button that said “Transmit my returns now?”  If so, your return is now in “pending” on a server.  Do not try to change anything while your return is in pending.On January  26  the IRS will begin to accept/reject e-files.  The IRS accepts a FEW returns in test batches ahead of January 26—-but that is very random.   Watch your emails—including your spam folder—for the notice about whether your e-file has been accepted or rejected.  If your return is rejected you will be able to make corrections before re-filing.   If the return you e-filed is accepted you will have to wait until it has been fully processed and then amend it to fix any mistakes or omissions.  It has been taking the IRS four to six months—sometimes longer—to process amended returns.   If you e-filed your state return there will be another email later that tells you if the state was accepted or rejected.   WARNING:   Do not try to change anything on your return while it is pending.   https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/irs-announces-first-day-of-2026-filing-season-online-tools-and-  

No one can see your tax return.    If you want someone else to "finish it up" and file it, you will have to upgrade to "Live" online.   LIVE ASSISTED https://turbotax.intuit.com/personal-taxes/online/live/how-it-works.htm     FULL SERVICE https://turbotax.intuit.com/personal-taxes/online/live/full-service/  

Did you click that big orange button that said “Transmit my return now?”  If you did that, you cannot do anything to fix it yet.  You have to wait for the email that tells you if your return was accepted or rejected.   Since the IRS will not begin to accept/reject returns until January 26, you are going to be waiting in “pending” for awhile.  Your return is sitting on a server, where you cannot fix  it or get it back.   You cannot change or add anything on the return that you just e-filed, nor can you stop it.  It is too late, just like when you put an envelope in a US mailbox on the corner.  The IRS does not allow you to take it back.   If you left out a W-2, a 1099G, or a dependent, or a 1099 etc…DO NOT change your return while it is “pending.”  The changes will go nowhere.   Now you have to wait until the IRS either rejects or accepts your return.  If your return is rejected, you will be able to go into your account and make the necessary changes to your tax return and re-submit your return.     If the IRS accepts your return, however, then you have to wait longer until it has been fully processed and you have received your refund.  THEN you can prepare an amended tax return and e-file or mail  it in. You have to be able to work from that return exactly the way it was when it was e-filed originally.  You will need to use a form called a 1040X.     Meanwhile, DO NOT go in and start changing anything on your return in the system, or you will make a mess for yourself.  Sit tight and wait until you see what the IRS does with the return you just e-filed   The Form 1040X you need becomes available in late February,  But wait until your return has been processed.  

HOW CAN I DOWNGRADE TO A LOWER VERSION https://ttlc.intuit.com/turbotax-support/en-us/help-article/change-service-level/downgrade-lower-priced-version-turbotax-online/L2IDaMvkt_US_en_US?uid=m6ilzady     WHY DO I HAVE TO PAY?  I WANT THE FREE EDITION   The information that you can enter in Free Edition is pretty limited now.  Thanks to the tax laws that began for 2018 returns, there are no more simple Form 1040EZ or 1040A's.  Everything goes on a Form 1040 that has three extra "schedules" with it, and if you need any of those schedules, you are not able to use the Free Edition.  Using the standard deduction instead of itemizing does NOT mean you will not need any of those schedules.   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        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     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/  

If you successfully e-filed, you could try calling the IRS, though I doubt they can or will do anything. If the return is rejected, you can fix it and resubmit. If accepted, you'll have to wait until mid-February to file an amended return, assuming your return is fully processed at that point.  It's possible, depending on what's wrong, for the return to be accepted and then kicked out of the IRS computers for review because numbers don't match what it got. It would then be processed by hand, which could take weeks. Then you would probably get Letter 2531 or some other.     https://www.irs.gov/pub/notices/2531_letter.pdf   

MY RETURN IS IN PENDING—what does that mean?   You will not get any information from the IRS refund site while your return is in pending.  The IRS does not have your return yet.   Did you e-file?  Did you click that big orange button that said “Transmit my returns now?”  If so, your return is now in “pending” on a server.  Do not try to change anything while your return is in pending.On January  26  the IRS will begin to accept/reject e-files.  The IRS accepts a FEW returns in test batches ahead of January 26—-but that is very random.   Watch your emails—including your spam folder—for the notice about whether your e-file has been accepted or rejected.  If your return is rejected you will be able to make corrections before re-filing.   If the return you e-filed is accepted you will have to wait until it has been fully processed and then amend it to fix any mistakes or omissions.  It has been taking the IRS four to six months—sometimes longer—to process amended returns.   If you e-filed your state return there will be another email later that tells you if the state was accepted or rejected.   WARNING:   Do not try to change anything on your return while it is pending.   https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/irs-announces-first-day-of-2026-filing-season-online-tools-and-  

You received a message from Marketing.  Marketing does not really know if your W-2 is available now.  They just want your business.   TurboTax does not have your W-2.   W-2’s come from employers.  There is not a federal or national website that provides W-2’s.   If your employer is partnered with TurboTax to allow the W-2 data to be imported into the software you can do that---but you need the actual W-2 so that you can enter the EIN and the amount from box 1 to import the other data from the W-2---which just saves you the little bit of keying in of the other information.   W-2's come from your employer, and they have until January 31 to issue it.  Some employers allow you to import the W-2 through the software, but for security reasons you still need information from the actual W-2 to import it. Some employers have payroll sites that will have your W-2. You might need to phone, text, drop in, email and/or snail mail an old employer to make sure they know where to send your W-2.     Every 2025 W-2 that you received must be reported on your 2025 tax return, even if they are for small amounts.  Remember that each one of those W-2’s has your Social Security number on it, and that income was reported to the IRS by the employer.  You do not want trouble with the IRS for under-reporting your income or have your refund delayed by having missing income.   ALL of your W-2’s must be entered on the SAME tax return.     Go to Federal>Wages & Income to enter a W-2. After you enter the first one, you click Add Another W-2.     https://ttlc.intuit.com/turbotax-support/en-us/help-article/tax-forms/get-copy-w-2/L8FTim9MO_US_en_US?uid=m68ee4os   https://ttlc.intuit.com/turbotax-support/en-us/help-article/import-export-data-files/import-enter-w-2/L55HzdeDr_US_en_US?uid=m68efe36

Did you click that big orange button that said “Transmit my return now?”  If you did that, you cannot do anything to fix it yet.  You have to wait for the email that tells you if your return was accepted or rejected.   Since the IRS will not begin to accept/reject returns until January 26, you are going to be waiting in “pending” for awhile.  Your return is sitting on a server, where you cannot fix  it or get it back.   You cannot change or add anything on the return that you just e-filed, nor can you stop it.  It is too late, just like when you put an envelope in a US mailbox on the corner.  The IRS does not allow you to take it back.   If you left out a W-2, a 1099G, or a dependent, or a 1099 etc…DO NOT change your return while it is “pending.”  The changes will go nowhere.   Now you have to wait until the IRS either rejects or accepts your return.  If your return is rejected, you will be able to go into your account and make the necessary changes to your tax return and re-submit your return.     If the IRS accepts your return, however, then you have to wait longer until it has been fully processed and you have received your refund.  THEN you can prepare an amended tax return and e-file or mail  it in. You have to be able to work from that return exactly the way it was when it was e-filed originally.  You will need to use a form called a 1040X.     Meanwhile, DO NOT go in and start changing anything on your return in the system, or you will make a mess for yourself.  Sit tight and wait until you see what the IRS does with the return you just e-filed   The Form 1040X you need becomes available in late February,  But wait until your return has been processed.  

Have you already e-filed?   If you already e-filed, you cannot change banking information for your refund.   You cannot  change banking information while your return is in pending, nor can you change it after the return is accepted.  The IRS does not allow it.       Did you already e-file?  If you did NOT e-file you can go to the FILE section  step 2 to enter/change how you want to receive your refund.  If you want direct deposit you need the routing number and your own account number.    If you e-filed: Banking information for direct deposit is wrong or closed If you entered incorrect banking information for your refund, you can change it if your return is rejected.  If it is accepted, however, it is too late to change it.  The bank will reject the refund and send it back to the IRS.  Here is what the IRS says about entering incorrect banking information https://www.irs.gov/faqs/irs-procedures/refund-inquiries/refund-inquiries-18     If your refund is sent back to the IRS—- make certain that the address you entered on your Form 1040 is correct.  And…open all mail, even if it looks like junk mail.  

If your tax return has already been filed, sorry---like it or not, it has been filed and you cannot get it back or cancel it.  The IRS will accept only one tax return using your SSN.    If the one filed by the "tax company" is accepted for processing, then you cannot file again using TT.   

If you submitted the return, you will now have to wait until you get an email that says accepted or rejected. If rejected, you can fix and refile. If accepted, you'll have to wait until mid-February to file 1040-X an amended return. You won't get the email if you didn't actually file, or you will get it sometime after 1/26 because e-filing won't officially open until that date and it might even be 2 to 3 days later.