Can you prepare and print more than one federal and state tax return with turbo tax online for the one fee?

[Bonnied1]

I do not have 'deluxe' I have Home and Business 2 copies, because you cannot do more than 1 anymore, because they make you buy 1 for each return and you have to do it "online" instead of "desktop."

I got my license cards at Costco.

I just need to know how to property sign in for the second return before the time slips away.

Bonnie

[xmasbaby0]

Okay--you are very confused between desktop software and online software.   Home and Business is desktop software.   It is a download this year---you download it to your hard drive instead of sticking a plastic disk into your computer.  But it is the same as always-----five federal e-files.    You are logging in and using online software by mistake.  With online you only get one return per fee and it will cost you a lot more if you are preparing returns for yourself and another family member.  

We see people get confused and they keep logging in to online software which will require them to pay at the end.   You need to use the desktop software.   One way to tell if you are using the right software---your tool bar.   Online software has the toolbar in a black vertical column on the left side of the screen.   Desktop software has the tools up on the top of your TT screen.

You appear to be posting from online software instead of the desktop CD/download software that the license code is for.  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 at Costco.  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-th...

[VolvoGirl]

No nothing has changed.   The Desktop program is still totally separate from the Online version.   You don’t have to do it Online.   Don’t confuse the Online version with downloading the Desktop program.   The download is exactly the same as the CD.  It can do more than 1 return.

Did you get the program installed and activated with the 16 Digit License Code?  

How to install and Activate the Desktop CD/Download program with a License Code

How to install TurboTax CD/Download software with license code

Try to get a refund for one of the Licenses.  

Turbo Tax Refund request form

How do I request a refund for my TurboTax product?

To do another return just go up to File-new tax return .

[VolvoGirl]

@Bonnied1   Are you on Windows or Mac?   I have Windows Home & Business .   Does your Home & Business look like this?  Here is the start page.   You can either click the Start a new return button or go up to File>New tax return.   

[Bonnied1]

I have no idea what you are talking about.

How in the world would you get a disc to do it by desktop?

They only had licenses in stores that you have to do online.

I have already done about 90% of my own return on the online

Home and Business I got at Costco.

I need to do the other one for my daughter and so I have another copy for her.

Others are saying I need to create a new account for the 2nd online tax return.

All of the information I read was that you could no longer do any more than 1 return,

I do not have the easy kind, we have a business so I do Home and Business.

If turbo tax has desktop still why could you not buy it in a store????

I am so confused.

Bonnie

[DoninGA]

@Bonnied1 If you purchased the TurboTax desktop edition from Costco then you should have received a 16 character license code.  The license code is used during the installation of the desktop software.  The license code is not used with the online editions.

Follow the instructions in the TurboTax support FAQ for installing the desktop software with the license code - https://ttlc.intuit.com/turbotax-support/en-us/help-article/license-information/install-turbotax-cd-...

[Bonnied1]

So you can download a "CD" after you already bought the other version?

Is that free or something?  For Home and Business?

This advise is very confusing, I have already purchased the product.

[VolvoGirl]

Sorry you are confused.  You can only buy the Desktop program in Costco and stores.   People are confusing the License Code with the Online version.   The License Code is for the Desktop program that you download and install on your computer and not the Online version you log into with a browser.   They stopped selling the actual CD so now you have to download the program.   It’s just the method you use to install it.   

[VolvoGirl]

You have the License Code.   But if you filled out your info in the Online version when you get to the end and want to file there will be no place to enter the License Code and you have to pay for Online again.   

 But you can switch to your License Code without paying for Online.  To switch and continue in the desktop version see this…….

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

[Bonnied1]

I think I am not understanding the terminology.  I bought a pseudo "desktop" version

which is not a desktop because there is no disc.  I am thinking it is for the "online" version

because there is no longer a disc in the package, all there is in there is the license code.

So are we using these terms in a different way?  The issue came up when I tried to activate the

second one i read you can only do one.

Now that I looked at the file section at the top left, I do notice that there is a place for a new return.

So, i assume that is where I would enter the 2nd license number.

I will give that a try.

Bonnie

[Bonnied1]

Ok I realized I was not familiar with the terminology,

the one I bought must be what they call the "desktop" version, but I did not call it that

because there is no disc.  I have always thought of the Desktop as the one you put in a disc into your computer.

That is why I thought of the one you download as the online version.

My confusion is probably due to semantics of what they are called.

I will attempt to start the new return in the upper left category of File: Start a new return.

[xmasbaby0]

@Bonnied1 At the risk of confusing you even more------here goes---

Desktop software is the software that goes on your own hard drive.  Until this year it could be either downloaded or installed to your hard drive by using a CD.  They eliminated the CD this year----so you just download it.   But any reference to "desktop" software means the software that gives you five federal e-files, so that you can prepare returns for other family members, etc.  The tax file is always stored on your own hard drive.   It is not stored online.  You pay for it before you start to use it, so the only additional fees are the state e-file fee of $25 if you e-file a state return, or any "add-on" stuff like audit defense if you choose to add it.   Desktop software has a 16-digit license code that you must enter when you download the program.   When you bought the Home and Business at Costco, you bought desktop software.  Costco gave you the license code.  You had to go "online" and use the internet to download the software, but now it is on your own hard drive.  You can use it to prepare and e-file multiple returns.   You do not pay for another license code or enter a license code for every return.   Once is it.

The "toolbar" is at the top of your screen.

With desktop, the only thing you do "online" is go to an account online to register the software and enter the license code.  You download the software and you are ready to use it --multiple times.

The names of the desktop download software include Deluxe, Premier and Home and Business.  You have Home and Business.

"Online" TurboTax is a whole different animal.   With online TurboTax you only get one return per fee, and you pay separate fees for every federal return and every state return.  Every return needs its own account and user ID.  You never use a license code for "online" software.  You pay for it at the end before you e-file the return.  

The names of the online software include Free Edition, Deluxe, and Premium.   "Online" TurboTax is web-based; everything you do with it is online, and your tax files are stored online.    The "toolbar" is on a vertical area on the left side of your screen.

Does that help---or confuse you more?   

[Bonnied1]

Ok I finally get it now.

Too bad I thought I could only do one return, I guess that is because I thought of it like online.  I did buy 2 and I already opened the key.

I have not used the key  license yet, but I do not know if the store will return it for me or not,

Maybe because it is Costco.

Bonnie

[xmasbaby0]

You can get a refund from TurboTax for it.    This form will even ask if you got it from Costco.

To request a refund for a TT product

https://ttlc.intuit.com/turbotax-support/en-us/help-article/intuit-refunds/request-refund-turbotax-p...