Can I share turbo tax 2023 product key with a family member if we have different turbo tax log in accounts?

[CatinaT1]

No. You will not be able to access other's returns. 

The TurboTax user license allows one user to install copies of TurboTax on up to five computers that the user owns. You can also prepare multiple returns, including returns for other people. But the license does not allow, and has never allowed, one copy to be shared among different people.  This year, that license is being enforced by requiring users to log into their TurboTax online account when they install the program for the first time. This locks one particular copy of the program and one license code to one user account. The only way you could install the program on a computer that you do not own, would be to give the other person your online username and password. And even though that workaround might allow the installation, it’s still a violation of the license.  

[anglebro]

This year, when turbotax is activated it is attached to one account .  So NO  you cannot use one license key on two different accounts 

[monkey_bunny]

After activation with original owner's email address and password and text verification code, you can sign out and then sign in with your own email address / password.

I just tried and it worked.

[depenmark]

Well, it is certainly not nice to have this feature out there for years and then change it.  Bad PR move (or I think it is now known as 'Optics').  This does not instill brand loyalty.  Intuit should remember they do NOT have a monopoly on tax software.  Yes we shared within the family for years, us and three adult children.  Now they have chosen to go with another brand.  I can certainly understand limiting the number of filings per license, and 5 is reasonable.  But Intuit lost potential future customers.  Once the grandkids are of age to be filing, no doubt their parents will share this story. 

[chinarut]

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@depenmark wrote:

Well, it is certainly not nice to have this feature out there for years and then change it.  Bad PR move (or I think it is now known as 'Optics').  This does not instill brand loyalty.  Intuit should remember they do NOT have a monopoly on tax software.  Yes we shared within the family for years, us and three adult children.  Now they have chosen to go with another brand.  I can certainly understand limiting the number of filings per license, and 5 is reasonable.  But Intuit lost potential future customers.  Once the grandkids are of age to be filing, no doubt their parents will share this story. 

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I couldn't agree more.  I've been a long time Mint user and pretty unhappy about the timing of ending the service this weekend just 3 weeks before taxes are due when the company full well knows that people depend on mint to extract income and expense data to help them with their taxes - what are they thinking?  and it doesn't help to have watched Hassan Minhaj's take on Intuit published 3 years ago if you want insight into the organization and how much easier our lives could be.

All these moves just rub me and our family the wrong way yet I will fully admit, we just bought a license last night, saw this fine print and came here looking for clarifications.  Many of us are really used to the TurboTax interface and we've tried alternatives (both government and corporate solutions) and realized really quick others were still playing catch up.

It is indeed frustrating when you want to support Intuit and want to stick it out. You are correct - it is difficult to recommend any of Intuit's offering by word of mouth and this is a shame as the software honestly does get our taxes done and makes it easier.

[niaPxaT]

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@oldermuscledude wrote:

I always thought that it was OK to share TT among family members...I've done so  just about forever, it seems.

But now the User License Agreement seems more confusing.  It says "you may only: (i) install and use a copy of the Software on up to five (5) computers owned by you (at home or at work); (ii) use the Software only to prepare, print and/or electronically file your own federal 2023 tax year returns and related 2023 state tax returns; and (iii) make one backup copy of the Software for your own personal use as permitted under this license grant." (BOLD emphasis is mine.)

So if I'm reading this correctly, I can use my TT disc on up to five computers that I own (I currently own 4 at my house) but can use the software ONLY to prepare, print, and/or electronically file MY OWN Federal and state 2023 tax returns.

I don't understand why I'd want to put this on up to five computers that I own--I can't imagine working on my own tax return on five different computers at the same time (not sure how they would share info to keep the status of the unfinished return the same on all five computers).

And I also don't understand why TT comes with five Federal returns if I can ONLY use it to prepare/print/e-file MY OWN tax return!  I'm guessing that a person can't file more than one tax return, so this doesn't make sense to me.

So this year, my family will have to buy three copies of TT--one for me and one for each of my sons--so that we can each file OUR OWN tax returns....instead of sharing the same TT disc and each of us using our own computers to prepare and file our own returns.  Logistically it's impractical for all three of us to use the same computer to do our taxes, and that would seem to be in violation of the User Agreement if we did, since (again) the Agreement states that we can use it only to prepare/print/e-file OUR OWN tax returns.

Again, I'm frustrated....and confused....

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My desktop product package (Premier) clearly states "Includes: 5 Federal e-files with IRS confirmations" which contradicts with the user licenses / terms and conditions. One cannot successfully e-file their own taxes more than once hence one can only logically conclude that the other e-files are intended for other members of the household. Who else would they be for?? I have found enough bugs in TurboTax over the years that this conflict does not surprise me in the least, but it is nevertheless frustrating.

The primary reason I continue to stay with TurboTax is that I can use the desktop version to complete taxes for everyone in our family.

[niaPxaT]

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@Anonymous wrote:

Incorrect. I used desktop version last year and was able to download it from the web/online account, today. It’s in a different section than the ‘left hand menu: tax documents’. So the information is stored online regardless of which online or desktop version you use. Here’s how I found it. Log in to TurboTax, under “Tax Home” on left side, start a new return and answer only a few questions, once it is started, scroll to the bottom, you will see “Your account” and then “Your tax returns & documents”. There in that documents folder, I found a copy of the desktop return I filed last year. Strangely, the return was not in the other section I mentioned before. Hope this helps.

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I used the steps you provided to check all of the possible places where taxes might be stored online in order to feel more confident that other family members would not be able to view my taxes.  In my case, I discovered that the only return I was able to see was indeed one wherein I filed online.  All other years I used the desktop version and those were not available for viewing.  Thank you for providing those steps. They will be very helpful to many people who need to confirm whether they have any tax files online regardless of how they might wind up there.  Thank you!

[VolvoGirl]

Post on installing on family and friend's computer. See 2 employee answers,
https://ttlc.intuit.com/community/taxes/discussion/re-if-two-or-more-families-file-under-one-turbota...

You can install Turbo Tax on 5 computers YOU OWN. You would have to give them your online account info to activate the program. But they will not see your info and returns. The returns are only kept on the computer they were done on. They are not stored or saved on Turbo Tax online. They can still use their account to efile their own returns.

And the license has always been….you can install it on 5 computers YOU OWN. You are not suppose to share it. This year they are enforcing it.

See this FAQ for why do I need to sign in to an Intuit Account this year? And how to Install and Activate
https://ttlc.intuit.com/turbotax-support/en-us/help-article/license-information/install-turbotax-cd-...

[cardinale6]

Will my tax return be visible on all computers I sign into or only the one which I did my return? Meaning if I share my Product Key by logging into my family member's computer will they be able to see the tax return I did on my own computer?

[DoninGA]

@cardinale6 The tax return you complete and file on one computer cannot be seen or accessed by anyone else regardless if you install the software on another computer.

The TurboTax license for the software allows you to install the software on up to 5 computer that you own.  You have to use your Intuit account to install the software you purchased on all computers that own.  No one else can use their Intuit account to install the software you purchased.

[VolvoGirl]

@cardinale6   No, they will not be able to see your info and returns from another computer.  The returns are only kept on the computer they were done on.  They are not stored or saved on Turbo Tax online.  They can still use their account to efile their own returns.

[Max Dog]

So to sum up what is being said - even married couples filing jointly now must have two completely different licenses.

[Max Dog]

To more clarify - even married couples filing jointly each have their own separate copies and accounts to work on their taxes unless just one person is entering the data.

[Dofdear]

No that is not correct.  Only one license is needed. It is only 1 return.  All data needs to be entered into that one return. If you are each adding your own data then you might, just might need to share.  BB

[jtjohnston43]

I appreciate you reaching out, but I must express my discontent with this change. Requiring me to sign in to an Intuit Account just to install and activate the software feels unnecessary and inconvenient. I've been a loyal TurboTax customer for years, but this change is pushing me to explore other options. Liberty Tax and H&R Block are conveniently located nearby, and I'm seriously considering taking all my returns to them this year. Please reconsider this policy for the sake of customer satisfaction.