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How to File Taxes Online

Written by Riley Adams, CPA • Reviewed by a TurboTax CPAUpdated for Tax Year 2023 • August 21, 2024 2:00 PM
OVERVIEW

Filing your taxes online can seem daunting, but with a little organization and preparation, you can file on time and with accuracy.

 

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Key Takeaways

  • Filing taxes online provides an easier, safer, and quicker way to complete your return.
  • Not only does tax software stop most mistakes, it allows you to import previous tax information to speed up tax return preparation for the current year.
  • 90% of American taxpayers choose to e-file their returns each year.
  • Mailed in paper tax returns can take up to six weeks or more to process.

Do I have to file taxes?

Filing taxes will depend on your income, tax filing status, age, and other factors. Generally, you don’t need to file a tax return each year unless your total income exceeds certain thresholds, or you meet specific filing requirements.

Usually, if your income is less than the Standard Deduction, you don't need to file a tax return. However, you may still need to if you meet certain conditions in 2023. You don't need to file a tax return if all of the following are true for your situation:

  • under age 65
  • don't have any special circumstances that require you to file (like earning self-employment income)
  • earn less than the 2023 Standard Deduction for your filing status

If you don’t meet all of these conditions, you may need to file a tax return. Even if you do meet all of these conditions, you may want to file a tax return anyway. If you have federal taxes withheld from your income, you can only receive a tax refund when too much is withheld.

For example, suppose your filing status is single; you can’t be claimed as a dependent by someone else, and you had $600 of federal tax withheld from your $5,000 of earnings as an employee during the year. You likely can get that money back since you earned less than the Standard Deduction. However, you can only get it by filing a tax return to claim a refund.

The IRS doesn't automatically issue refunds, so if you want to claim any tax refund due to you, you should file a tax return.

If you need to file your taxes, the easiest way is to file online.

How to file your taxes

Whether you're filing your taxes for the first or the 50th time, it's always a good idea to gather your tax information early so you can prepare your return and file faster.

The IRS offers two methods for filing your taxes: electronically (called E-filing) or through the mail. E-filing has grown to be the most popular method to file, representing over 90% of all returns received by the IRS for 2020 tax returns.

The IRS has stated that e-filed returns are more accurate and they avoid processing delays and speed up refund delivery. Despite this, roughly 10% of the population still chooses to file taxes the old-fashioned way: through the mail.

Regardless of your preference for filing your taxes, the basic process is the same:

  1. gather the documents you’ll need to file your taxes
  2. calculate your taxable income by tallying your gross income
  3. claim all applicable tax deductions and credits
  4. file your tax return with the IRS

Below breaks down each step necessary for filing taxes online, starting with the forms you need.

What tax forms do I need for online tax filing?

Consider creating a folder for your tax return at the beginning of a tax year. Then, put any important tax information you receive in that folder until you're ready to file your tax returns.

Most of these forms will show up after the end of a tax year in January or early February. However, some forms may show up even later. It's important to wait until you receive all of the forms you're expecting before you file your tax return or you may leave out an important item. Once you have all of your forms needed to prepare your tax return, consider working on it sooner than later as there are good reasons to file your tax return early.

Common forms to look out for include:

These forms might be mailed to you or you may be able to access them online. If you haven't received your W-2, check with your employer, or even with the IRS. Some online tax filing software can import your W-2 electronically and even notify you when your W-2 is available.

Check your tax information from last year to see if you received the same forms this year. If you're missing something, check to see if you no longer need that information. For instance, you won't receive a Form 1099-INT if you closed your bank account that issued it last year.

Additionally, you may experience new situations during a tax year. You'll have to make sure you think through the year to determine if your new tax situation may lead to you receiving new forms this year. If so, make sure you keep an eye out for them. For example, if you opened a brokerage account or started trading crypto then you should expect to have forms for these activities.

How do I do my taxes online?

Each year, you can choose how you want to prepare and file your taxes. You can do so in one of three ways:

  1. Preparing the tax forms by hand and mailing them in.
  2. Using online tax software to prepare the required forms through on-screen prompts and guidance.
  3. Hiring a tax professional to handle it for you (some online tax software comes with tax professional assistance).

If you file with the latter two options, you can choose to e-file your taxes. Using tax software allows you to do your own taxes and file online.

When you use online tax software, you can enter your information the first time you use it and have this roll forward each year. This allows for an easier and quicker experience preparing your taxes each year, leading to less stress and quicker refunds if you’re owed one.

Filing your taxes starts with gathering all the documents you need to prepare your return, such as the forms covered above. To speed up this process, consider keeping all of your supporting paperwork for your taxes in a single and secure location. This helps to keep your tax documentation organized and easily accessible when it comes time to prepare your taxes each year.

Once you have this information ready, you can enter it into the online tax platform. You can do this manually or see if the online tax software offers the ability to import your tax returns. If you can automatically import this information into your tax software, it could save you even more time and can help prevent entering incorrect information on your return. Tax software integrates with several businesses and organizations to import digital versions of your tax information which then gets placed in the appropriate boxes, lines and sections on the correct forms.

After entering your information, tax software works in one of two ways:

  • Interview-based tax software: This interface has you answer questions prompted by the software. The interview will gather information from you and place these details on the relevant forms automatically, making it easy to use if you aren’t familiar with all the forms used to prepare your tax return.
  • Form-based tax software: This software requires you to know about the tax forms used to prepare your return. It'll step through each form and require you to place the correct information from the corresponding boxes on your tax documents.

With interview-based software, you are navigated through each part of your return, starting with questions to learn about you and determine your tax situation. If this is your first time using the software, initial questions ask for personal information about you and any dependents. If you’ve used this software in the past, it'll ask you to confirm your information and ask if you’ve had any changes in your tax situation since you filed your last tax return. Depending on your answers to these questions, the software will assist you with selecting the most relevant tax filing status.

Next, the software will ask you for income figures from all sources during the tax year before proceeding to claim your eligible deductions and credits. The software may have the ability to automate much of this process through importing tax documents and automatically placing this information in the appropriate places on your tax return.

From there, you should review your return for accuracy. Afterward, you’re ready to file your taxes online.

What are the benefits of filing taxes online?

Using online tax software has several benefits. Not only does it simplify your tax return filing, you can file it more securely with e-File, enabling you to get your refund faster should the IRS owe you money.

  • Fewer mistakes. When you file taxes online with tax software, you substantially reduce the likelihood of making errors as compared to preparing your returns on paper. The automated nature of tax software works to prevent simple arithmetic errors and also places information in the correct boxes and on the correct forms. This reduces the chances of filing an inaccurate return. Further, if you make a mistake on your return, such as claiming a dependent who has already been claimed, or entering an incorrect Social Security number, the IRS can detect it quickly. They'll send back an error report in as little as a few hours so that you can quickly fix the problem.
  • Quicker, more accurate preparation. Filing taxes online with tax software can also pull information from previous returns, such as any carry over losses, passive activity losses, information for calculating underpayment penalties, and more from a prior year. You can automatically import relevant tax information for your current tax return, allowing you to get the job done a lot faster than if you prepared your return by hand. Plus, you don’t lose track of these important items that might benefit you in the current year, potentially saving you more money on your taxes.
  • Faster refunds. The IRS handles e-filed returns faster than paper returns. Your e-filed return processes quicker and goes through an error checking system much sooner than a paper return. If you prepare your own return and send it by mail, you can expect to wait up to six weeks or more for your refund. Because the IRS can review your return quicker, you get your refund deposited directly into your bank account faster. You can also elect to receive your refund in the mail if that is what you prefer.

Can I import tax forms?

Online tax software has streamlined the ability to prepare your tax return by having you input your unique tax information through intuitive question and answer prompts, on-screen guidance, access to a tax professional, and convenient e-filing with the IRS.

Tax software allows you to import your tax information directly onto your return without needing to handle physical forms or manually enter the data.

You can import tax forms like:

  • W-2 from your employer
  • 1099-B, 1099-DIV, 1099-OID, 1099-INT or 1099-R forms from brokerages where you invest or institutions where you bank
  • 1099-NEC forms from companies you work for as a self-employed person
  • 1099-MISC forms for non-employment related payments or income

 

TurboTax Tip:

When selecting the financial institution for importing your tax forms, be sure to select the right company from the list. For example, several participating partners' names may start with First National Bank. Select your specific bank to ensure your details can be found.


 

By integrating with these companies, tax software can import your tax forms directly, reducing the time needed to prepare your return while also resulting in fewer errors.

What should I expect when filing taxes online?

Filing taxes online should be a quicker process than completing your return by hand. If you have a simple tax situation, you shouldn’t expect to spend a long time preparing your tax return.

For example, if you only have W-2 income and claim the Standard Deduction, your tax return shouldn’t take long to prepare, review, and e-file.

On the other hand, if you have a more complex tax situation, you may still need to enter a good amount of data manually, especially if you are itemizing your deductions or claiming certain tax credits.

For example, if you have several investment and bank accounts, work for yourself, have rental property, claim tax credits, or need to account for the Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT), your tax return may take a while longer to prepare.

Tax software can assist with handling these finer details and also provide objective explanations on the impacts of taking certain tax positions. Should you need help, several tax software packages offer to connect you with a qualified tax professional to answer questions, guide you through preparing your return, and check for any missed deductions or credits you might qualify for.

How do I pay my taxes online?

Paying your taxes online is straightforward and easy. If you file your taxes by hand, the amount owed on your return can be submitted online directly to the IRS through its Direct Pay web portal.

The portal allows you to pay online or over the phone with a bank account for free or by debit card, credit card or digital wallet for a fee.

The IRS offers you the ability to submit payments for the following returns through Direct Pay:

You can also submit payment through your online tax platform. Depending on the provider, you may be able to pay by:

How do I get my refund?

The fastest way to get your tax refund is through filing an accurate return electronically using direct deposit to your bank account. When you file electronically, the IRS will provide a status of your tax refund within 24 hours of e-filing or within four weeks after you’ve mailed your return.

To check your status, you'll need to provide your Social Security number or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN), filing status, and exact refund amount. You can gather this information from your completed tax return.

When you file, you can provide bank account details to have your tax refund securely direct deposited. You can also opt to have a paper check mailed to you.

How long does it take to file taxes online?

On average, the IRS estimates it takes individuals 13 hours to complete their tax returns each year. Of course, the time it takes to file your taxes depends on your unique tax situation, preparedness and familiarity with your information.

More complex situations can entail additional forms and questions you’ll need to answer on your tax return, such as if you:

Each additional situation can add more time to prepare and file your taxes online.

Just the same, simple tax situations often take less time to prepare taxes and file online. For example, if you only have W-2 income from your employer and claim the Standard Deduction, your tax return won’t take as long to prepare. It can take as little as several minutes to complete with the right forms and information readily accessible to you and your tax software.

When you use tax software, it asks you all the questions necessary to capture your full tax situation, perform the required calculations, and enter the correct information on the relevant tax forms.

Filing online can also reduce the likelihood of arithmetic errors, lowering the chance of needing to file an amended return if there’s an error on your return.

What is the fastest way to file taxes?

The fastest way to file taxes is online. IRS’s e-file system enabled 122 million taxpayers to file their returns electronically last tax year. According to the IRS, e-Filed returns not only offer better accuracy. They also provide better security and faster refunds.

By avoiding the mail to send in your return, they can process your return faster, check for errors, and issue most refunds in less than 21 days. The fastest way to get your refund is by using the automation and error reduction benefits of tax software, e-filing and direct deposit. Combined, these will give you the best shot at filing your taxes fast and getting your refund sooner.

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~37% of filers qualify. Simple Form 1040 returns only (no schedules except for Earned Income Tax Credit, Child Tax Credit and student loan interest).

The above article is intended to provide generalized financial information designed to educate a broad segment of the public; it does not give personalized tax, investment, legal, or other business and professional advice. Before taking any action, you should always seek the assistance of a professional who knows your particular situation for advice on taxes, your investments, the law, or any other business and professional matters that affect you and/or your business.

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TurboTax Online: Important Details about Filing Simple Form 1040 Returns

If you have a simple Form 1040 return only (no forms or schedules except as needed to claim the Earned Income Tax Credit, Child Tax Credit or student loan interest), you can file for free yourself with TurboTax Free Edition, or you can file with TurboTax Live Assisted Basic at the listed price. Roughly 37% of taxpayers are eligible.

Examples of situations included in a simple Form 1040 return (assuming no added tax complexity):

  • W-2 income
  • Interest, dividends or original issue discounts (1099-INT/1099-DIV/1099-OID) that don’t require filing a Schedule B
  • IRS standard deduction
  • Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC)
  • Child Tax Credit (CTC)
  • Student loan interest deduction
  • Taxable qualified retirement plan distributions

Examples of situations not included in a simple Form 1040 return:

  • Itemized deductions claimed on Schedule A, like charitable contributions, medical expenses, mortgage interest and state and local tax deductions
  • Unemployment income reported on a 1099-G
  • Business or 1099-NEC income (often reported by those who are self-employed, gig workers or freelancers)
  • Stock sales (including crypto investments)
  • Income from rental property or property sales
  • Credits, deductions and income reported on other forms or schedules 

TURBOTAX ONLINE GUARANTEES

TurboTax Individual Returns:

  • 100% Accurate Calculations Guarantee – Individual Returns: If you pay an IRS or state penalty or interest because of a TurboTax calculation error, we'll pay you the penalty and interest. Excludes payment plans. This guarantee is good for the lifetime of your personal, individual tax return, which Intuit defines as seven years from the date you filed it with TurboTax. Excludes TurboTax Business returns. Additional terms and limitations apply. See Terms of Service for details.

  • Maximum Refund Guarantee / Maximum Tax Savings Guarantee - or Your Money Back – Individual Returns: If you get a larger refund or smaller tax due from another tax preparation method by filing an amended return, we'll refund the applicable TurboTax federal and/or state purchase price paid. (TurboTax Free Edition customers are entitled to payment of $30.) This guarantee is good for the lifetime of your personal, individual tax return, which Intuit defines as seven years from the date you filed it with TurboTax. Excludes TurboTax Business returns. Additional terms and limitations apply. See Terms of Service for details.

  • Audit Support Guarantee – Individual Returns: If you receive an audit letter from the IRS or State Department of Revenue based on your 2023 TurboTax individual tax return, we will provide one-on-one question-and-answer support with a tax professional, if requested through our Audit Support Center, for audited individual returns filed with TurboTax for the current 2023 tax year and for individual, non-business returns for the past two tax years (2022, 2021). Audit support is informational only. We will not represent you before the IRS or state tax authority or provide legal advice. If we are not able to connect you to one of our tax professionals, we will refund the applicable TurboTax federal and/or state purchase price paid. (TurboTax Free Edition customers are entitled to payment of $30.) This guarantee is good for the lifetime of your personal, individual tax return, which Intuit defines as seven years from the date you filed it with TurboTax. Excludes TurboTax Business returns. Additional terms and limitations apply. See Terms of Service for details.

  • Satisfaction Guaranteed: You may use TurboTax Online without charge up to the point you decide to print or electronically file your tax return. Printing or electronically filing your return reflects your satisfaction with TurboTax Online, at which time you will be required to pay or register for the product.

  • Our TurboTax Live Full Service Guarantee means your tax expert will find every dollar you deserve. Your expert will only sign and file your return if they believe it's 100% correct and you are getting your best outcome possible. If you get a larger refund or smaller tax due from another tax preparer, we'll refund the applicable TurboTax Live Full Service federal and/or state purchase price paid. If you pay an IRS or state penalty (or interest) because of an error that a TurboTax tax expert or CPA made while acting as a signed preparer for your return, we'll pay you the penalty and interest. Limitations apply. See Terms of Service for details.

  • 100% Accurate Expert-Approved Guarantee: If you pay an IRS or state penalty (or interest) because of an error that a TurboTax tax expert or CPA made while providing topic-specific tax advice, a section review, or acting as a signed preparer for your return, we'll pay you the penalty and interest. Limitations apply. See Terms of Service for details.

TurboTax Business Returns:

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  • TurboTax Audit Support Guarantee – Business Returns. If you receive an audit letter from the IRS or State Department of Revenue on your 2023 TurboTax business return, we will provide one-on-one question-and-answer support with a tax professional, if requested through our Audit Support Center, for audited business returns filed with TurboTax for the current 2023 tax year. Audit support is informational only. We will not represent you before the IRS or state tax authority or provide legal advice. If we are not able to connect you to one of our tax professionals for this question-and-answer support, we will refund the applicable TurboTax Live Business or TurboTax Live Full Service Business federal and/or state purchase price paid. Additional terms and limitations apply. See Terms of Service for details.

TURBOTAX ONLINE/MOBILE PRICING

  • Start for Free/Pay When You File: TurboTax online and mobile pricing is based on your tax situation and varies by product. For most paid TurboTax online and mobile offerings, you may start using the tax preparation features without paying upfront, and pay only when you are ready to file or purchase add-on products or services. Actual prices for paid versions are determined based on the version you use and the time of print or e-file and are subject to change without notice. Special discount offers may not be valid for mobile in-app purchases. Strikethrough prices reflect anticipated final prices for tax year 2023.

  • TurboTax Free Edition: TurboTax Free Edition ($0 Federal + $0 State + $0 To File) is available for those filing Simple Form 1040 returns only (no forms or schedules except for the Earned Income Tax Credit, Child Tax Credit and student loan interest), as detailed in the TurboTax Free Edition disclosures. Roughly 37% of taxpayers qualify. Offer may change or end at any time without notice.

  • TurboTax Live Assisted Basic Offer: Offer only available with TurboTax Live Assisted Basic and for those filing Form 1040 and limited credits only. Roughly 37% of taxpayers qualify. Must file between November 29, 2023 and March 31, 2024 to be eligible for the offer. Includes state(s) and one (1) federal tax filing. Intuit reserves the right to modify or terminate this TurboTax Live Assisted Basic Offer at any time for any reason in its sole and absolute discretion. If you add services, your service fees will be adjusted accordingly. If you file after 11:59pm EST, March 31, 2024, you will be charged the then-current list price for TurboTax Live Assisted Basic and state tax filing is an additional fee. See current prices here.

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  • TurboTax Full Service - Forms-Based Pricing: “Starting at” pricing represents the base price for one federal return (includes one W-2 and one Form 1040). Final price may vary based on your actual tax situation and forms used or included with your return. Price estimates are provided prior to a tax expert starting work on your taxes. Estimates are based on initial information you provide about your tax situation, including forms you upload to assist your expert in preparing your tax return and forms or schedules we think you’ll need to file based on what you tell us about your tax situation. Final price is determined at the time of print or electronic filing and may vary based on your actual tax situation, forms used to prepare your return, and forms or schedules included in your individual return. Prices are subject to change without notice and may impact your final price. If you decide to leave Full Service and work with an independent Intuit TurboTax Verified Pro, your Pro will provide information about their individual pricing and a separate estimate when you connect with them.

  • Pays for itself (TurboTax Premium, formerly Self-Employed): Estimates based on deductible business expenses calculated at the self-employment tax income rate (15.3%) for tax year 2022. Actual results will vary based on your tax situation.

TURBOTAX ONLINE/MOBILE

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  • Fastest refund possible: Fastest tax refund with e-file and direct deposit; tax refund time frames will vary. The IRS issues more than 9 out of 10 refunds in less than 21 days.

  • Get your tax refund up to 5 days early: Individual taxes only. When it’s time to file, have your tax refund direct deposited with Credit Karma Money™, and you could receive your funds up to 5 days early. If you choose to pay your tax preparation fee with TurboTax using your federal tax refund or if you choose to take the Refund Advance loan, you will not be eligible to receive your refund up to 5 days early. 5-day early program may change or discontinue at any time. Up to 5 days early access to your federal tax refund is compared to standard tax refund electronic deposit and is dependent on and subject to IRS submitting refund information to the bank before release date. IRS may not submit refund information early.

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  • Pay for TurboTax out of your federal refund or state refund (if applicable): Individual taxes only. Subject to eligibility requirements. Additional terms apply. A $40 Refund Processing Service fee may apply to this payment method. Prices are subject to change without notice.

  • TurboTax Help and Support: Access to a TurboTax product specialist is included with TurboTax Deluxe, Premium, TurboTax Live Assisted and TurboTax Live Full Service; not included with Free Edition (but is available as an upgrade). TurboTax specialists are available to provide general customer help and support using the TurboTax product. Services, areas of expertise, experience levels, wait times, hours of operation and availability vary, and are subject to restriction and change without notice. Limitations apply See Terms of Service for details.
  • Tax Advice, Expert Review and TurboTax Live: Access to tax advice and Expert Review (the ability to have a Tax Expert review and/or sign your tax return) is included with TurboTax Live Assisted or as an upgrade from another version, and available through December 31, 2024. Intuit will assign you a tax expert based on availability. Tax expert and CPA availability may be limited. Some tax topics or situations may not be included as part of this service, which shall be determined in the tax expert’s sole discretion. For the TurboTax Live Assisted product, if your return requires a significant level of tax advice or actual preparation, the tax expert may be required to sign as the preparer at which point they will assume primary responsibility for the preparation of your return. For the TurboTax Live Full Service product: Handoff tax preparation by uploading your tax documents, getting matched with an expert, and meeting with an expert in real time. The tax expert will sign your return as a preparer. The ability to retain the same expert preparer in subsequent years will be based on an expert’s choice to continue employment with Intuit. Administrative services may be provided by assistants to the tax expert. On-screen help is available on a desktop, laptop or the TurboTax mobile app. Unlimited access to TurboTax Live tax experts refers to an unlimited quantity of contacts available to each customer, but does not refer to hours of operation or service coverage. Service, area of expertise, experience levels, wait times, hours of operation and availability vary, and are subject to restriction and change without notice.

  • TurboTax Live Full Service – Qualification for Offer: Depending on your tax situation, you may be asked to answer additional questions to determine your qualification for the Full Service offer. Certain complicated tax situations will require an additional fee, and some will not qualify for the Full Service offering. These situations may include but are not limited to multiple sources of business income, large amounts of cryptocurrency transactions, taxable foreign assets and/or significant foreign investment income. Offer details subject to change at any time without notice. Intuit, in its sole discretion and at any time, may determine that certain tax topics, forms and/or situations are not included as part of TurboTax Live Full Service. Intuit reserves the right to refuse to prepare a tax return for any reason in its sole discretion. Additional limitations apply. See Terms of Service for details.

  • TurboTax Live Full Service - File your taxes as soon as today: TurboTax Full Service Experts are available to prepare 2023 tax returns starting January 8, 2024. Based on completion time for the majority of customers and may vary based on expert availability. The tax preparation assistant will validate the customer’s tax situation during the welcome call and review uploaded documents to assess readiness. All tax forms and documents must be ready and uploaded by the customer for the tax preparation assistant to refer the customer to an available expert for live tax preparation.

  • TurboTax Live Full Service -- Verified Pro -- “Local” and “In-Person”: Not all feature combinations are available for all locations. "Local" experts are defined as being located within the same state as the consumer’s zip code for virtual meetings. "Local" Pros for the purpose of in-person meetings are defined as being located within 50 miles of the consumer's zip code. In-person meetings with local Pros are available on a limited basis in some locations, but not available in all States or locations. Not all pros provide in-person services.

  • Smart Insights: Individual taxes only. Included with TurboTax Deluxe, Premium, TurboTax Live, TurboTax Live Full Service, or with PLUS benefits, and is available through 11/1/2024. Terms and conditions may vary and are subject to change without notice.

  • My Docs features: Included with TurboTax Deluxe, Premium TurboTax Live, TurboTax Live Full Service, or with PLUS benefits and is available through 12/31/2025. Terms and conditions may vary and are subject to change without notice.

  • Tax Return Access: Included with all TurboTax Free Edition, Deluxe, Premium, TurboTax Live, TurboTax Live Full Service customers and access to up to the prior seven years of tax returns we have on file for you is available through 12/31/2025. Terms and conditions may vary and are subject to change without notice.

  • Easy Online Amend: Individual taxes only. Included with TurboTax Deluxe, Premium, TurboTax Live, TurboTax Live Full Service, or with PLUS benefits. Make changes to your 2023 tax return online for up to 3 years after it has been filed and accepted by the IRS through 10/31/2026. Terms and conditions may vary and are subject to change without notice. For TurboTax Live Full Service, your tax expert will amend your 2023 tax return for you through 11/15/2024. After 11/15/2024, TurboTax Live Full Service customers will be able to amend their 2023 tax return themselves using the Easy Online Amend process described above.

  • #1 best-selling tax software: Based on aggregated sales data for all tax year 2022 TurboTax products.

  • #1 online tax filing solution for self-employed: Based upon IRS Sole Proprietor data as of 2023, tax year 2022. Self-Employed defined as a return with a Schedule C tax form. Online competitor data is extrapolated from press releases and SEC filings. “Online” is defined as an individual income tax DIY return (non-preparer signed) that was prepared online & either e-filed or printed, not including returns prepared through desktop software or FFA prepared returns, 2022.

  • CompleteCheck: Covered under the TurboTax accurate calculations and maximum refund guarantees. Limitations apply. See Terms of Service for details.
  • TurboTax Premium Pricing Comparison: Cost savings based on a comparison of TurboTax product prices to average prices set forth in the 2020-2021 NSA Fees-Acct-Tax Practices Survey Report.

  • 1099-K Snap and Autofill: Available in mobile app and mobile web only.

  • 1099-NEC Snap and Autofill: Available in TurboTax Premium (formerly Self-Employed) and TurboTax Live Assisted Premium (formerly Self-Employed). Available in mobile app only. Feature available within Schedule C tax form for TurboTax filers with 1099-NEC income.

  • Year-Round Tax Estimator: Available in TurboTax Premium (formerly Self-Employed) and TurboTax Live Assisted Premium (formerly Self-Employed). This product feature is only available after you finish and file in a self-employed TurboTax product.

  • **Refer a Friend: Rewards good for up to 20 friends, or $500 - see official terms and conditions for more details.

  • Refer your Expert (Intuit’s own experts): Rewards good for up to 20 referrals, or $500 - see official terms and conditions for more details.

  • Refer your Expert (TurboTax Verified Independent Pro): Rewards good for up to 20 referrals, or $500 - see official terms and conditions for more details.

  • Average Refund Amount: Sum of $3140 is the average refund American taxpayers received based upon IRS data date ending 2/17/23 and may not reflect actual refund amount received.

  • Average Deduction Amount: Based on the average amount of deductions/expenses found by TurboTax Self Employed customers who filed expenses on Schedule C in Tax Year 2022 and may not reflect actual deductions found.

  • More self-employed deductions based on the median amount of expenses found by TurboTax Premium (formerly Self Employed) customers who synced accounts, imported and categorized transactions compared to manual entry. Individual results may vary.

  • TurboTax Online Business Products: For TurboTax Live Assisted Business and TurboTax Full Service Business, we currently don’t support the following tax situations: C-Corps (Form 1120-C), Trust/Estates (Form 1041), Multiple state filings, Tax Exempt Entities/Non-Profits, Entities electing to be treated as a C-Corp, Schedule C Sole proprietorship, Payroll, Sales tax, Quarterly filings, and Foreign Income. TurboTax Live Assisted Business is currently available only in AK, AZ, CA, CO, CT, DE, FL, GA, IL, KS, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, NC, NJ, NV, NY, OH, PA, RI, SD, TN, TX, UT, VA, WA, WV and WY.

  • Audit Defense: Audit Defense is a third-party add-on service provided, for a fee, by TaxResources, Inc., dba Tax Audit. See Membership Agreements at https://turbotax.intuit.com/corp/softwarelicense/ for service terms and conditions. 

TURBOTAX DESKTOP GUARANTEES

TurboTax Desktop Individual Returns:

  • 100% Accurate Calculations Guarantee – Individual Returns: If you pay an IRS or state penalty or interest because of a TurboTax calculation error, we’ll pay you the penalty and interest. Excludes payment plans. This guarantee is good for the lifetime of your personal, individual tax return, which Intuit defines as seven years from the date you filed it with TurboTax Desktop. Excludes TurboTax Desktop Business returns. Additional terms and limitations apply. See License Agreement for details.

  • Maximum Refund Guarantee / Maximum Tax Savings Guarantee - or Your Money Back – Individual Returns: If you get a larger refund or smaller tax due from another tax preparation method by filing an amended return, we'll refund the applicable TurboTax federal and/or state software license purchase price you paid. This guarantee is good for the lifetime of your personal, individual tax return, which Intuit defines as seven years from the date you filed it with TurboTax Desktop. Excludes TurboTax Desktop Business returns. Additional terms and limitations apply. See License Agreement for details.

  • Audit Support Guarantee – Individual Returns: If you receive an audit letter from the IRS or State Department of Revenue based on your 2023 TurboTax individual tax return, we will provide one-on-one question-and-answer support with a tax professional, if requested through our Audit Support Center, for audited individual returns filed with TurboTax Desktop for the current 2023 tax year and, for individual, non-business returns, for the past two tax years (2021, 2022). Audit support is informational only. We will not represent you before the IRS or state tax authority or provide legal advice. If we are not able to connect you to one of our tax professionals, we will refund the applicable TurboTax federal and/or state license purchase price you paid. This guarantee is good for the lifetime of your personal, individual tax return, which Intuit defines as seven years from the date you filed it with TurboTax Desktop. Excludes TurboTax Desktop Business returns. Additional terms and limitations apply. See License Agreement for details.

  • Satisfaction Guarantee/ 60-Day Money Back Guarantee: If you're not completely satisfied with TurboTax Desktop, go to refundrequest.intuit.com within 60 days of purchase and follow the process listed to submit a refund request. You must return this product using your license code or order number and dated receipt.

TurboTax Desktop Business Returns:

  • 100% Accurate Calculations Guarantee – Business Returns: If you pay an IRS or state penalty or interest because of a TurboTax calculation error, we’ll pay you the penalty and interest. Excludes payment plans. You are responsible for paying any additional tax liability you may owe. Additional terms and limitations apply. See License Agreement for details.

  • Maximum Tax Savings Guarantee – Business Returns: If you get a smaller tax due (or larger business tax refund) from another tax preparation method using the same data, TurboTax will refund the applicable TurboTax Desktop Business license purchase price you paid. Additional terms and limitations apply. See License Agreement for details.

  • Satisfaction Guarantee/ 60-Day Money Back Guarantee: If you're not completely satisfied with TurboTax Desktop, go to refundrequest.intuit.com within 60 days of purchase and follow the process listed to submit a refund request. You must return this product using your license code or order number and dated receipt.

TURBOTAX DESKTOP

  • Installation Requirements: Product download, installation and activation requires an Intuit Account and internet connection. Product limited to one account per license code. You must accept the TurboTax License Agreement to use this product. Not for use by paid preparers.

  • TurboTax Desktop Products: Price includes tax preparation and printing of federal tax returns and free federal e-file of up to 5 federal tax returns. Additional fees may apply for e-filing state returns. E-file fees may not apply in certain states, check here for details. Savings and price comparison based on anticipated price increase. Software updates and optional online features require internet connectivity.

  • Fastest Refund Possible: Fastest federal tax refund with e-file and direct deposit; tax refund time frames will vary. The IRS issues more than 9 out of 10 refunds in less than 21 days.

  • Average Refund Amount: Sum of $3140 is the average refund American taxpayers received based upon IRS data date ending 02/17/23 and may not reflect actual refund amount received.

  • TurboTax Product Support: Customer service and product support hours and options vary by time of year.

  • #1 Best Selling Tax Software: Based on aggregated sales data for all tax year 2022 TurboTax products.

  • Deduct From Your Federal Refund: A $40 Refund Processing Service fee may apply to this payment method. Prices are subject to change without notice.

  • Data Import: Imports financial data from participating companies; Requires Intuit Account. Quicken and QuickBooks import not available with TurboTax installed on a Mac. Imports from Quicken (2021 and higher) and QuickBooks Desktop (2021 and higher); both Windows only. Quicken import not available for TurboTax Desktop Business. Quicken products provided by Quicken Inc., Quicken import subject to change.

  • Audit Defense: Audit Defense is a third-party add-on service provided, for a fee, by TaxResources, Inc., dba Tax Audit. See Membership Agreements at https://turbotax.intuit.com/corp/softwarelicense/ for service terms and conditions.

All features, services, support, prices, offers, terms and conditions are subject to change without notice.

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