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You cannot use the Free Edition if you need to report unemployment compensation. Unemployment has to be reported on a Schedule 1, which requires you to use a paid version of the software.
https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f1040s1.pdf
Major tax reform and major changes in the tax forms have also resulted in changes to the tax software.
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, there are no more simple Form 1040EZ or 1040A's. Everything goes on a little “postcard-size” Form 1040 that has six 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://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-form-1040
If you qualify to use it, there is another free version of the software:
Try Free File:
You qualify if your income was $34,000 or less, or $66,000 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
https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/4511011-what-happened-to-the-1040a-and-1040ez
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.
It's not tax law, it's Intuit and Turbotax greed. They really really really want to charge you to do taxes. Use another company like I do. They lure bait people in wanting to IRS free file and then limit income at $36,000 or switch to $60. They bait and lure people in with higher incomes to regular free file and then charge $60 for a 1099. Both of unethical, immoral and dishonest practices. Luckily there are a bunch truly free ways to file. Find the list from the IRS website. This bait and switch is called Dark Patterns. They are tricks used in websites and apps to cheat you.
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