How to purchase Online (web) TurboTax Delux version BEFORE filing taxes? (NOT the desktop download version)

[JY25]

How can I buy the “online web” version of TurboTax Delux WITHOUT having to file the taxes? Just want to buy ONLINE web TurboTax Delux BUT NOT ready to file/submit yet. Don’t understand why I cannot just BUY the “ONLINE, log-in & use version” FIRST without actually filing BC not Ready To file (need to gather docs etc) BUT want to PURCHASE “online version turbotax delux” now and all it says is “START FOR free.”  I dont want to “start for free” but just want to BUY that version without putting in all my info.

Why is it so difficult to “just buy online version” and keep in my acct as “purchased item” IF I am not ready to “submit/file” FIRST before paying? 

[DoninGA]

Click on File on the left side of the online program screen.  On Step 1 after the Order Summary you will be asked to pay for the Account fee.  Click on Credit Card.  Once you have completed the credit card processing you can go back to any of the TurboTax online sections you were working on by clicking on that section link on the left side of the online program screen.

[JY25]

@DoninGA Hi, are your instructions for on a desktop computer using a web browser?

BC I was logging into the TurboTax “APP” on a mobile phone & I dont see any of the options u mentioned on the “left side” … “order summary” etc … none of those features are on the TurboTax “APP” log-in. 
What browser are u using to log-in?

Thanks for ur reply! 

[DoninGA]

Those instructions are for the TurboTax online editions where the user would be using a personal computer to access the online account.

Your mobile application may show something different.  But you should be able to access the section of the program to File the tax return.  I assume that is where you can pay the TurboTax account fees with a Credit Card when using the mobile application.

[Miss MCJ2]

On the app choose Finish and File.

[JY25]

@DoninGA Thank u! 
Will try on a desktop computer. 

[JY25]

@Miss MCJ2 

IF I choose the “finish & file” on the mobile APP AND I put my credit card info in, does it then send/submit my tax forms immediately after I make the payment? Bc I’m trying “not” to file bc haven’t completed all the forms yet. I dont want to accidentally submit blank tax forms just after checking out with credit card. Will it ONLY charge by card & just let me go back to the tax forms AFTER I have all relevant info ready? Trying to prevent accidental sending of undone tax forms immediately after I make the credit card payment on the APP. Can u confirm my taxes wont be sent immediately AFTER I pay TurboTax online version?  Thanks for ur response.

[Miss MCJ2]

It will only charge your credit card.  It will not file with no data in it.  I do see where that heading is confusing.  But there are more steps involved in actually filing.

[JY25]

@Miss MCJ2 Thank u so much for ur reply! And yes it’s TurboTax verbiage that is confusing: “Finish and File” sounds like it will “automatically file it and finish.” 😕

Thanks again for all ur help!

Appreciate it! 🙂

[JY25]

@Miss MCJ2 Just an update but your instructions worked! I tried to do on the desktop but couldn’t bc my browser is not supported by TurboTax. Had to go back to the APP, & I did what you said & after checkout there are more steps so I just didn’t to the remaining steps to submit bc not yet ready to. :))

IF anyone who works at TurboTax is reading these, please use better verbiage on APP & websites so that the wording is not confusing to general public. This incident would have been a non-issue, had the website and APP just had one page or one tab to “buy/purchase” any and all products INCLUDING to buy just the “online web version/sign-in version” (NOT THE download/CD/install it first version) IF the customer just wants to purchase the “online sign-in version of TurboTax” even though NOT READY to “FINISH AND FILE” as it says on the APP.  Thanks to cool ppl like Miss MCJ2, I’m able to “BUY” & use TurboTax without giving up out of frustration with confusing on-screen verbiage and just opting to use a different company. Miss MCJ2 should get paid by TurboTax for bringing you guys business, just sayin. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[taxlady28]

@JY25 

Thank you for the kind words. As a former programmer I understand the difficulty of getting things into an app.  They try to conserve space so that it is not too cluttered and still get everything that would be on a larger screen.  And I understand the frustration of the user trying to navigate the program.  I am glad to help in any way I can.

[VolvoGirl]

@JY25   You do know that if you pay before you finish and file there may be other fees you will need to pay at the end.  Like you might need to upgrade to Premium to enter something like investments or added a state return.   Did it let you pay for state early?  Did you start a state return before you paid?   

How to review your fees

https://ttlc.intuit.com/community/charges-and-fees/help/how-do-i-review-my-fees-in-turbotax-online/0...

[JY25]

@VolvoGirl  Hello, yes I was able to pay for state during check out BUT I didn’t fill out the state info aa my fed info was also not filled out. 
During checkout it showed everything that was included, which showed my correct state. 
Hoping TurboTax just “does the right thing” & honor “correctly” what I purchased and doesn’t try to “double charge” or erroneously charge me extras when Im finally ready to “file and finish”… will just see what happens when time comes later. Hopefully I don’t have to contact customer service with additional issues bc it’s extremely difficult to connect to live customer service due to ALL the automated systems set in place that u have to navigate thru to finally get a real person for issues. Crossing fingers it doesn’t have to resort to that. 

[rnbauer]

These instructions no longer seem applicable. It's 3/31 - has something in the programming changed? When I follow these instructions, there is no way for me to JUST pay for my turbotax product without also filing my income tax return. I am assuming something in the programming has changed, especially since I was just on hold for 12 minutes while the attendant looked, mentioned there was new programming upgrades in March, put me back on hold to look some more, and then hung up on me. How can I JUST pay for my turbotax product now?

[taxlady28]

One work around is to go to Tax Home and the Print and in the print section there will be a message to pay.