No ---the Free Edition cannot be used for income you received as an independent contractor. You might be able to use the Free File version which can prepare the the Schedule C you will need for your self-employment income and expenses.
WHY DO I HAVE TO PAY? I WANT THE FREE EDITION
The information that you can enter in Free Edition is pretty limited now. Thanks to the new tax laws that began for 2018 returns, there are no more simple Form 1040EZ or 1040A's. Everything goes on a Form 1040 that has three extra "schedules" with it, and if you need any of those schedules, you are not able to use the Free Edition. Using the standard deduction instead of itemizing does NOT mean you will not need any of those schedules.https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/4511011-what-happened-to-the-1040a-and-1040ez If you started in the Free Edition and entered any data that required any of those three schedules, you have to upgrade to a paid version. The Free Edition cannot be used for self-employment income, investment income, rental income or a student loan interest deduction,
https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-form-1040
If you qualify to use it, there is another full-featured free version of the software:
Try Free File:
You qualify if your income was $39,000 or less, or $72,000 or less if active duty military, or if you qualify for Earned Income Credit
https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/1900583-what-is-turbotax-free-file-program
Note: If you do not qualify to use Free File then you will have to upgrade to Deluxe or higher in the paid versions of the software.
Online Deluxe $40 State software $40
Or—-Use this IRS site for other ways to file for free
https://apps.irs.gov/app/freeFile/
If your TurboTax fees are higher than expected, you can reduce them by removing add-ons:
**Disclaimer: Every effort has been made to offer the most correct information possible. The poster disclaims any legal responsibility for the accuracy of the information that is contained in this post.**
