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Thanks for the info, but I want the software to work the way it is supposed to and I shouldn't have to go into "form mode" to do my taxes using this junk software. Isn't that reasonable?  And to answer your question, I am using the desktop version I bought through Amazon.  Any idea when that's going to work as advertised?  Thanks.

See this TurboTax support FAQ for how to transfer the 2024 tax data file from the computer to the 2025 online tax return - https://ttlc.intuit.com/turbotax-support/en-us/help-article/import-export-data-files/transfer-last-year-return-turbotax-online/L279eUvY2_US_en_US

@hmdurham67  IF you had a 1099-R in a prior year, it is possible that an empty 1099-R transferred into your file from 2024. Go to the left-side menu and in the Tools menu, there is a selection to go in and delete a form.  Then you can scan your list of forms and delete any 1099-R forms you find in there.

For a short-term contract under $50,000, sticking with a sole proprietorship and filing a Schedule C is the best option.     With a sole proprietorship, there is zero cost to set up and you report your income and expenses on a "Schedule C" with your personal tax return.   Managing an LLC in California is expensive and because of their annual fee and since your contract is short term, it's not cost effective.   You won't save on income tax by having an LLC. An LLC is a business classification, not a tax classification.    You are correct that an S Corp offers tax benefits, but it is rarely worth the cost of maintaining it unless you are consistently making more money on a consistent annual basis.   As far as how much to set aside, I would recommend more than 15%. Your self employment tax alone is 15.3% on your net earnings. You have income tax in addition to that. I generally suggest setting aside 25%. This is not taking into consideration any tax owed to the state. I would suggest setting aside an additional 5-8% for California If this will be your first year filing a Schedule C, you likely don't need to make estimated payments. But if you want you can. Here is more information on making quarterly payments.   As a self employed person,  you can deduct "ordinary and necessary" business expenses to lower your taxable income. Common deductions include:   Home Office: If you use a portion of your home exclusively for work. Equipment: Laptops, software subscriptions, or furniture purchased specifically for the role. Professional Services: Fees for an accountant or legal advice.   You can find more information on business expenses here.    For your question about what questions you should ask the employer to ensure you are protected, remember, as an independent contractor, you don't have an employer - you are your own employer. Who you are working for is not protecting you. Depending upon the type of work you are doing, it's possible you may need liability insurance or other licenses.    The IRS Self-employed individuals tax center would be helpful for you. California has a similar site. 

Tax returns will not be accepted by the IRS until January 26, 2026.   If accepted by the IRS use the federal tax refund website to check the refund status - https://www.irs.gov/refunds If accepted by the state use this TurboTax support FAQ to check the state tax refund status - https://ttlc.intuit.com/turbotax-support/en-us/help-article/tax-refund/track-state-refund/L3jgO8PGs_...

If you signed up for Advantage in January or December then that is only for the 2026 tax year.   Go to this TurboTax website to purchase and download the 2025 desktop editions - https://turbotax.intuit.com/personal-taxes/compare/desktop/

True...last year 1099-R was ready by end of first or  second week in January.   This year, apparently it's the 3rd week....that's just the way it's working out.   Last year there were a bunch of mis-steps with how the 1099-R interview asked certain questions that seemed to mislead some folks with 1099-R forms to be entered.  They changed the follow-up questions a few weeks later, but still some folks couldn't navigate them properly.    So, perhaps more testing in that area is slowing down the finalization of the 1099-Rs.....or perhaps the new box 7 code Y is causing problems with how to implement seamlessly......or maybe just too few experience programmers assigned to that area of the software this year.  

If you are using the TurboTax 2025 desktop editions, just go to Forms mode, click on Open Form at the top left of the Forms mode screen.  Type in 1099-R.  Click on the result and enter the Form 1099-R information on the form.   If you are using the TurboTax 2025 online editions, how did you pay for the online edition since the tax return was not even completed?  You are only asked to pay after you finish the return and are in the File section of the program.