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

[nomeara]

Can you prepare and print more than one federal and state tax return with turbo tax online for the one fee? Can you e-file for just one fee? So can I use the single purchase to do my tax returns and then also do tax returns for my elderly father and two adult children for the single fee?  You can do up to five on the desk top but the software requirements will not let me download onto my old MacBook air so I am trying to see if I can avoid buying a new computer by doing it online instead.  I am conflicting answers on this so its very confusing.  Here's what I found on line:  "Can you file more than one tax return with Turbo Tax Online? It allows you to prepare and print unlimited federal taxes returns, and e-file up to five at no charge." In other places, it says you can only e-file one for the online version.  Please help clarify!

[VolvoGirl]

Sorry no.  Online browser version is only good for 1 return per account.   You would need to setup new accounts for each one.  You can use the same email for 5 accounts.  Each return will cost unless some can use the Free Edition.   Oh and you might need to use a higher version for someone to enter things like investments and self employment.  Only the Desktop installed program can do unlimited returns and efile 5.  

[nomeara]

Can I prepare and print for four family member on the online version and then mail it in?

[DoninGA]

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@nomeara wrote:

Can I prepare and print for four family member on the online version and then mail it in?

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The TurboTax online editions can only be used for one tax return per account and User ID.  To complete another tax return you would have to create a new account with a new User ID.

[xmasbaby0]

With online TurboTax software you get ONE RETURN PER FEE.   The pricing is very different for online.  Each return needs its own account and user ID.    Using online for multiple returns can become quite expensive if you have anything more than a VERY simple return that can be prepared using the Free Edition.

It is only with the desktop download software that you get five federal e-files (more if you mail some) for the price of purchasing the software program.

Some options:

https://turbotax.intuit.com/personal-taxes/online/free-edition.jsp

You can file with TurboTax Free Edition if you have a simple tax return.*

*A simple tax return is Form 1040 only.

Situations covered in TurboTax Free Edition include:

• W-2 income
• Limited interest and dividend income reported on a 1099-INT or 1099-DIV
• Claiming the standard deduction
• Earned Income Tax Credit (EIC)
• Child tax credits
• Student Loan Interest deduction

Situations not covered in TurboTax Free Edition include:

• Itemized deductions
• Unemployment income reported on a 1099-G
• Business or 1099-NEC income
• Stock sales
• Rental property income
• Credits, deductions and income reported on schedules 1-3

-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/

Or—if you live in certain states you may be eligible to use the new IRS Direct File

In Filing Season 2025, Direct File will be available in Alaska, Arizona, California, Connecticut, Florida, Idaho, Kansas, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. 

https://directfile.irs.gov/

https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/jy2629

[xmasbaby0]

To answer your question about just filing them by mail---no.   When you use online TurboTax the fee is the same whether you e-file or mail it in an envelope.  You cannot get around paying for TT software by mailing the returns instead of e-filing.

[VolvoGirl]

Yes but you still have to pay for each one.  The Online fees are to prepare the return whether your efile or print and mail.  And each state is a separate charge.  You can see Online Deluxe and Premium here.  Click on State Additional to see state price.

You can start Online Deluxe here,

TurboTax® Deluxe Online 2024-2025 | Maximize Tax Deductions

You can start Online Premium here

TurboTax® Premium Online 2024-2025 | Self-Employed & Investor Tax Software

[nomeara]

Thank you for your responses.  We live in Illinois.  No one will qualify for a free return.  Its seems like it would be most cost effective to choose a desktop but for the fact that turbo tax 2024 requires an updated operating system for MacBool Air macs.  Are there any other options that I am missing?  It seems like the desktop and online should be comparable. Why is so much conflicting information on this?

[nomeara]

I am cutting and pasting from what I found on line - conflicts with some of the answers here.

[nomeara]

Which one is right?

[xmasbaby0]

Yikes----could you please post a link to the page that came from?

[VolvoGirl]

Depends.  Where did you copy that?  Can you post a link?    Maybe it means you can file the returns online using efile instead of mailing.  But that post seems to be referring to the Desktop program.

Yes Online is different than the Desktop program.  If you do switch to the Online version  you can transfer from last  year's desktop return.   You will need the data file ending in .tax2023 to transfer into 2024 either to the Online version or the Desktop program.

If you used the Desktop program before you may notice several differences and may not like the online version. It has less features and no Forms Mode. The Online versions don't have all the same forms so you might have to upgrade to a higher Online version. You can only do 1 return. Your return is only saved online so be sure to save both the .tax2024 data file and the pdf file to your computer when you are done. In case you need to amend in the future or if you need a copy to get a loan or something. You might not be able to access your online return when you need a copy.

[nomeara]

not sure what link you are seeking.  I sent you the green shot - not sure what else to send. Sorry.  You can see it is very confusing.  Also one of the customer service folks at turbo tax told me that you could do up to 5 free for the turbo tax online as long as you used the same email.  She said the only thing you would have to do is have a separate sign in for each family member.

[VolvoGirl]

Well that screen shot and customer service were wrong.  Looks like that screen shot is an AI  answer.  Those are usually wrong.  We wanted to know where you got that screen shot.  Looks like you did a google search and not a search in this forum.  

[DoninGA]

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@nomeara wrote:

not sure what link you are seeking.  I sent you the green shot - not sure what else to send. Sorry.  You can see it is very confusing.  Also one of the customer service folks at turbo tax told me that you could do up to 5 free for the turbo tax online as long as you used the same email.  She said the only thing you would have to do is have a separate sign in for each family member.

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You grabbed that screen shot from a query you posted so the URL should have been available when you clicked on that result.

Additionally, you can file as many tax returns using the online editions as you want - As Long As you create a New online account with a New User ID for each tax return.  You can use the same email address on up to 5 online accounts.

See this TurboTax support FAQ for how many returns can be filed using the online editions (This is an official TurboTax website) - https://ttlc.intuit.com/turbotax-support/en-us/help-article/tax-return/start-another-return-turbotax...

If you use TurboTax Online, you can file one federal return with up to five state returns per Intuit Account.

If you use TurboTax Desktop, you can file five federal returns with up to three state returns each.

No more than five Intuit accounts and five corresponding federal returns (for example, for a family of five) may be created, purchased, and filed using any one email address.

Per IRS rules, you can only e-file up to five federal returns using the same email address or phone number with personal tax return preparation products.