topic Costco's "TurboTax Home & Business" version VS. TurboTax's Self-Employed Online version??? in Get your taxes done using TurboTax

Costco's "TurboTax Home & Business" version VS. TurboTax's Self-Employed Online version???

misterirrelevant — Mon, 23 Feb 2026 11:15:54 GMT

Sigh, I wish Costco and TurboTax would make it less confusing for consumers.

For 2020 tax year, I used the TurboTax online version.

For the 2021 tax year, hoping to save some money, like many people, last year, I bought a TurboTax Home & Business version at Costco; but since I didn't know exactly how to use digital code, I erroneously signed into my TurboTax online version (stupidly thinking that I would be inputting that digital code at the end when I paid). Thus, I ended up using the TurboTax online version for a second straight year and paying more than I should have just to use TurboTax for my federal and three different state filings as someone who is employed part-time but also is a self-employed contractor for three different firms in three different states. (I don't own a home, I don't have any investments, and I don't have an LLC...so I like to believe that my taxes are simple enough.)

For the 2022 tax year, I'm still trying to make sense of which Costco version I can possibly use--knowing that it'll expect to get my 2021 tax return off the online version. Given that my circumstances remain exactly the same as last year:

* Can I use a Costco version of TurboTax, but still access my 2021 tax return data that might be required to do my 2022 tax return?

* If I buy a Costco version, is the "TurboTax Home & Business" version the right one for me to buy -- given my specifics above? Or am I overpaying (because the "Deluxe Federal + State" or the "Premier Federal + State" would have been sufficient)?

* Or must I continue using the "TurboTax Self-Employed" version online?

* Why doesn't Costco sell a "TurboTax Self-Employed version" (in order to keep the TurboTax products consistent)?

Because I would love to not overpay for my federal and three state filings if one of those Costco versions fits my needs.

Re: Costco's "TurboTax Home & Business" version VS. TurboTax's Self-Employed Online version???

xmasbaby0 — Tue, 03 Jan 2023 14:12:17 GMT

The software called Self-Employed is the ONLINE software. The desktop software that has all of the same capabilities is called Home and Business. The pricing is different for online and desktop software. When you use online software you "log on" to an online account to use the web-based software. When you use the CD/download (also called desktop software) you do NOT log on to an online account. You open the program up from your own hard drive, just like you do with any other programs that you have installed to your own computer. We see people who are confused that make the mistake of purchasing the CD/download but out of habit they "log on" and instead of using the download they use online and then have to pay for it again.

If they catch their mistake in time they can switch the data to the purchased download software--and we help lots of users with that every year.

If you are self-employed you either need the online Self-Employed software OR any version of the CD/download. All of the CD/download software versions can provide the forms and schedules needed---you just get more help with Home and Business. You could start with desktop Deluxe from Costco and upgrade if you want to----that is easy to do even when you are in progress preparing the return.

The 2021 tax file you prepared using online can be transferred to the 2022 software whether you use online or the CD/download.

If you choose to use the CD/download you are going to have to be extra careful to use the desktop software you purchased instead of accidentally "logging on" and using the online Self-Employed again.

How to transfer last year’s return? https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/1900883

If you purchase the software from Costco there should be instructions in the box for how to download the software and enter the license code. You enter that code in the beginning after the download. Do not "log on" to your online TT account. Install the software to your own hard drive, update it, and from then on, open it from your own hard drive.

Re: Costco's "TurboTax Home & Business" version VS. TurboTax's Self-Employed Online version???

xmasbaby0 — Tue, 03 Jan 2023 14:39:28 GMT

We hope you do not make a mistake again like the one you made last year. But in case....here is the way to fix it:

If you are using online, you are using the wrong program. You need to switch to the desktop software to get what you paid for. You have to download it, update it and open it up from your own hard drive to use it.

https://ttlc.intuit.com/community/choosing-a-product/help/how-do-i-switch-from-turbotax-online-to-the-turbotax-software/00/26129