You can access TurboTax by either using your computer or by downloading an app on your phone, depending on which phone you have. If you're old school, you can also purchase a TurboTax disc from a store like Walmart. The advantage of buying the disc is you'll be able to conduct the tax-filing process even if you're offline, since you'd be installing the TurboTax program onto your computer.
Now, this doesn't all come for free (although it's probably cheaper than hiring a human expert to do your taxes). Prices for TurboTax ranges depending on what type of service you want. For the online options, you can start the process for free and only pay when you file. The lowest price option for TurboTax online is $59.99, which would increase if you're also filing state taxes. There are several options in between, and the online price goes up to $179.99 for TurboTax Live, where you can talk to a CPA or EA on demand and get a final review from them. On CD, the price starts at $49.99, plus more for state filing, and goes up to $119.99 for a "home & business" option.
If you indicate that you're a new user, TurboTax will prompt you to select a few animated icons that help identify what type of filer you are. Those icons feature options with labels such as "I want to maximize deductions and credits" and "I have children or dependents."
Based on the icons you choose, TurboTax will advise which version of its software to purchase. There's one that's specialized for business owners, for instance.
After you make your choice, you'll create an account and sign up with a username and password, then you can get to the nitty gritty.
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