why should i pay to file my return? i have simple 1040 and student credit?

[buy-jobin]

how do i go back to the no delux version to not pay?

[rjs]

I'm not sure what you mean by "student credit." Either education credit - the American Opportunity Credit or the Lifetime Learning Credit - requires an additional form that is not included in TurboTax Free Edition.

Here are some other options for free filing.

• Fill out the forms and do the calculations yourself, without using tax software. Blank forms and instructions are available on the IRS web site and on the tax web site for your state.
• Free File Fillable Forms on the IRS web site. Many states provide free filing on their state tax web sites.
• IRS Free File
• IRS Direct File
• VITA or TCE

[Hal_Al]

You may just need to delete the "student credit", if you are the student. It usually the parents of the student who claim that credit. 

There's a new urban myth among college students that says they can get a $1000 from the government just for filing a tax form. For most of them, they simply aren't eligible. A full time unmarried student, under age 24, even if you don't qualify as a dependent, is only eligible for the refundable portion of the American Opportunity Credit if he supports himself by working. You cannot be supporting yourself on parental support, 529 plans or student loans & grants. It is usually best if the parent claims that credit. 

You cannot claim the (up to) $1000 refundable credit if you are, or can be, claimed as a dependent by someone else.

Reference: Line 7 instructions for form 8863.

https://www.irs.gov/instructions/i8863#en_US_2024_publink53002gd0e674