How do I get more than 5 efiles? Is there another product with additional efiles>

[Critter-3]

Don't any of those family members own a computer you can use at their home to install a second program on ?  This way you have a separate liscense number and internet connection.  

[VolvoGirl]

It's too late to efile 2021 now.  But for next year 2022 if you try it please let us know if it works to use different programs.  

[Mike9241]

you would also have to create another e-mail address. 

[KCLindgren]

I have struggled with this for 2 years. Nothing I tried allowed more than 5 e-filings. I had to submit some of my kids’ returns by mail and both years the ones that were submitted by mail were delayed and didn’t process until August. If Turbo Tax is just trying to make more money, they should charge additional for the additional e-filings instead of making this so difficult for families. 

[VolvoGirl]

The 5 efile limit is from the IRS.  It's to prevent fraud and people filing fake returns. To do more you have to sign up as a ERO - Electronic Returns Originator and be an authorized E-file provider. https://www.irs.gov/e-file-providers/become-an-authorized-e-file-provider

Maybe you can use the Online Free Edition to file for someone? Or the IRS Free File, it can do more than the Turbo Tax Free Edition.
https://www.irs.gov/filing/free-file-do-your-federal-taxes-for-free

[xmasbaby0]

@KCLindgren Five federal e-files is an IRS limit.   It is not a TurboTax limit.   

[terry823]

How do i get additional filing - need more than 5.  if i purchase another program can i use the same computer with a different email address?

[Opus 17]

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@terry823 wrote:

How do i get additional filing - need more than 5.  if i purchase another program can i use the same computer with a different email address?

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The 5 e-file limit is imposed by the IRS.  Even if you bought another copy of turbotax and installed it, that alone will not bypass the IRS limit.  If there was a way to bypass the IRS limit, I wouldn't tell you, because it's their regulation, not a Turbotax license thing.

Using turbotax installed on your own Mac or PC, you can prepare as many tax returns and you want, as long as they are for non-commercial purposes.  You can e-file the first 5, and file the rest by mail.

[OmgTaxes]

This is patently false, and is a narrative that only comes from Intuit.

Your statement is based on an assumption conveniently made by Intuit only. 

There exists no IRS law or regulation that prevents Turbotax specifically from allowing more than 5 e-files.  Let that one sink in...

There is a regulation, often misquoted and misinterpreted that states non-professional tax filers without a PTIN cannot e-file more than 5 times.   That's a whole different animal.

It is perfectly legal for a tax professional with PTIN to e-file more than 5 times using TurboTax.  Since Turbo Tax is quite capable for most small businesses, it is Intuit alone that creates this barrier because it's own "Commercial" tax software charges by the form, with tons of other extra and unnecessary fees that create artificially high costs for professional tax preparations that are no more complex than Turbotax. 

If Intuit wanted to, it could create an option to enter your PTIN within Turbotax and continue e-filing, but they don't, because they want bookkeepers & tax professionals to pay them up to quadruple the cost for the same returns instead.

That's the rest of the story.

That being said there are quite a few ways to get around the limit, but you'll have to do things like use a VPN, different email address etc. in order to lawfully use TurboTax to file more than 5 e-files in a year as a tax professional with a valid PTIN.  Or did you think all CPA's throw their money away just because Intuit wants them to?  LOL

[VolvoGirl]

See IRS Handbook for Authorized IRS e-file Providers of Individual Income Tax Returns page 34 #4 and page 36 #2 for limit of 5 efile

https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p1345.pdf#page36

Additional Requirements for Participants in Online Filing

In addition to the above, participants in Online Filing must adhere to the following:

1. Ensure that no more than five electronic returns are filed from one software package or one e-mail address.

2. Supply a taxpayer with a correct Submission ID.

[OmgTaxes]

So here's one answer to your situation:  Get a valid PTIN.   Anyone can obtain one from the IRS, they'll want your SSN on file and fingerprints, but once you have that, you can legally e-file as much as you want.  There is no test, no "certifications" required.  It's like being a Notary; literally anyone can do it.

Then you can find the workarounds that googling for 5-10 minutes will show you how Turbotax can be used to e-file more than that.  The PTIN keeps you out of trouble and "legal."

[OmgTaxes]

Not the whole story.   See my additional comments below.

[DoninGA]

@OmgTaxes 

IRS Publication 1345, Handbook for Authorized IRS e-file Providers of Individual Income Tax Returns page 31 - https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p1345.pdf

5.  Ensure that it doesn’t accept transmission for more than five electronic returns originating from one software package or from one e-mail address

[Opus 17]

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@OmgTaxes wrote:

So here's one answer to your situation:  Get a valid PTIN.   Anyone can obtain one from the IRS, they'll want your SSN on file and fingerprints, but once you have that, you can legally e-file as much as you want.  There is no test, no "certifications" required.  It's like being a Notary; literally anyone can do it.

Then you can find the workarounds that googling for 5-10 minutes will show you how Turbotax can be used to e-file more than that.  The PTIN keeps you out of trouble and "legal."

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Turbotax is not licensed for paid professionals.  Turbotax does not allow professionals to add their PTIN, therefore a professional who uses Turbotax is in violation of IRS regulations as well as the Turbotax Terms of Service.  (Intuit makes pro software but under different brand names, the Turbotax brand name is not licensed for professional use and does not allow a professional to add their PTIN.)

I agree that professionals, using professional software with a PTIN, can e-file more than 5 returns.  Consumer level tax programs cannot.

Yes, there may be ways of tricking the IRS system into allowing a person to e-file more than 5 returns with a consumer program like Turbotax.  I choose not to discuss those methods. 

[OmgTaxes]

That is a complete misread of that document.  Your first citing of page 34 is for Intermediate Service Providers, and has nothing to do with this topic at all.  This is word-for-word from page 34 #4: 

"4. Input the TINs and addresses on a Form W-2, W-2G, 1099-R or Schedule C as applicable
in the electronic return record when they differ from the taxpayer’s TIN or address in the
electronic individual income tax return as described in “Verifying Taxpayer Identify and
Taxpayer Identification Numbers (TINs)” and “Be Careful with Addresses” if inputting the
electronic data"

Does that look like it even relates to that answer?  Nope.

Pro tip:   When you provide links to a document you are citing, make sure your citing is relevant.

Everything cited here falls under the heading of the IRS guidance "to software programmers only."  Nowhere does the IRS ever say that it is illegal for anyone to e-file more than 5 returns per year.  Not one single place is that ever mentioned.

Here's the actual quote you were looking for:

"Ensure that no more than five electronic returns are filed from one software package or one
e-mail address."

This means it IS perfectly legal to buy a second copy of Turbotax and e-file 5 more times using a second email address.  Doing so is incredibly cheaper than using commercial Tax preparers.  You can always get your own PTIN and be doubly safe, but even that is not strictly necessary.