Can I use TurboTax Deluxe without a laptop? Apple user needs help!
So we ended up selling our laptop last year to help make ends meet. Me and my wife are completely on the Apple ecosystem (just iPhones and an iPad) and I'm wondering if it's even possible to use TurboTax Deluxe anymore? I checked their website and all I'm seeing are CD and download options. I don't really want to use the free tax filing options since we have home mortgage deductions, charitable donations that we need to itemize, and my daughter's college expenses that need to be properly documented for tax credits. We've tried other tax software in the past but honestly TurboTax just seems to guide us through everything better, especially for our somewhat complicated situation. When we've compared the results with other tax prep software, TurboTax consistently got us the biggest refund year after year. Anyone know if there's a way to use TurboTax Deluxe on just iPad/iPhone? The filing deadline is getting closer and I'm getting nervous!
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Oliver Cheng
Yes, you can definitely use TurboTax without a laptop! TurboTax has a mobile app that works great on iPads and iPhones. You can download the TurboTax app from the App Store and access the Deluxe features through in-app purchase. The mobile app has all the same features as the desktop version, including the guided interview process that walks you through itemizing deductions for your home, charitable donations, and education expenses. The interface is adapted for touchscreens but covers all the same tax situations. Many people actually prefer the mobile version because it lets you take photos of your W-2s and other tax documents to automatically import the information, which saves time compared to manual entry.
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Ashley Simian
•That's a huge relief! I had no idea they had a full-featured app. Does the app version cost the same as the desktop version? And can I start on my iPhone and then continue on my iPad if I need the bigger screen?
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Oliver Cheng
•The app version typically costs the same as the desktop version. TurboTax Deluxe is priced by the tax product tier, not by the platform you use. So you'll pay for the Deluxe features regardless of whether you're using the mobile app or desktop software. Yes, one of the great advantages is that you can seamlessly switch between devices! You can start your return on your iPhone and then continue on your iPad whenever you want. Your information is saved in the cloud, so you just need to log in with the same TurboTax account on either device to pick up right where you left off.
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Taylor To
After struggling with figuring out how to file my taxes without a computer last year, I discovered taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) and it was a game changer! You can literally take photos of your tax documents with your phone and it extracts all the information automatically. I was skeptical at first because I have rental property income and itemized deductions, but it handled everything perfectly. The interface is super easy to use on mobile devices too - I did my entire return on my iPad! It walks you through all the same types of questions TurboTax does but feels more modern.
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Ella Cofer
•How does the document scanning actually work? I've tried other apps where you take pictures of documents and they never seem to get the numbers right. Does it work well with handwritten donation receipts?
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Kevin Bell
•I'm wondering about the security. With all the tax scams out there, how do you know your data is safe when uploading photos of your sensitive tax documents to some new service?
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Taylor To
•The document scanning is really impressive - it uses advanced image recognition that's much better than what I've seen in other apps. It correctly processed all my W-2s, 1099s, and even my mortgage interest statement without errors. For handwritten donation receipts, it does a pretty good job, but I did have to verify a few entries manually. Still way faster than typing everything! Regarding security, I was concerned about that too initially. They use bank-level encryption and don't store your actual tax documents after processing. Their privacy policy explains that they're SOC 2 compliant, which is the same security standard used by financial institutions. I did my research before trusting them with my info and felt comfortable with their security measures.
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Kevin Bell
I wanted to follow up about my experience with taxr.ai after asking about their security. I decided to try it out since I also don't have a computer anymore, just an iPad mini. Honestly, I'm blown away by how well it worked! The document scanning saved me hours of typing in numbers, and the security was legit - they even have two-factor authentication. What really surprised me was how it caught a deduction I missed last year for my home office. The guided questions were actually more thorough than when I used TurboTax before. Ended up with a bigger refund than I expected! Just finished filing last weekend and already got my confirmation from the IRS.
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Savannah Glover
If you need to contact the IRS for any questions about filing electronically without a computer, good luck getting through to them! I spent DAYS trying to call them about my electronic filing options. Then I found Claimyr (https://claimyr.com) and watched their demo at https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c - they actually got me connected to an IRS agent in under 20 minutes! I was able to ask all my questions about mobile filing options and get answers directly from the IRS. The agent explained all the approved mobile filing options and helped me understand which forms I needed. Saved me so much stress and time waiting on hold.
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Felix Grigori
•How does this even work? I've called the IRS like 5 times and never got through. Is this just paying someone to wait on hold for you?
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Felicity Bud
•Sounds like a scam to me. Nobody can get through to the IRS that fast. They probably just connect you to some fake "agent" who gives generic info you could find online.
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Savannah Glover
•It works by using an automated system that navigates the IRS phone tree and waits on hold for you. When an actual IRS agent picks up, you get a call connecting you directly to them. So yes, basically they handle the hold time so you don't have to sit there for hours. They are definitely connecting you to real IRS agents. I was skeptical too, but the agent I spoke with verified my tax information and gave me specific answers about my account that only the real IRS would know. It's not generic info - I was able to ask specific questions about mobile filing options and got detailed answers about my particular situation. Definitely saved me from the endless hold music nightmare!
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Felicity Bud
I have to eat my words about Claimyr. After posting my skeptical comment, I was desperate to talk to the IRS about a missing form so I gave it a shot. I'm honestly shocked - it actually worked! Got connected to a real IRS agent in about 15 minutes who confirmed my identity and helped me sort out my missing 1099-R issue. I've spent HOURS on hold with the IRS in previous years and usually gave up. This time I was able to get my question answered, confirm I could file using just my iPad, and they even helped me understand which forms I needed for my retirement withdrawal. Definitely worth it when you actually need to speak to someone at the IRS.
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Max Reyes
Just so you know, there's also a TurboTax Live option that might help if you're unfamiliar with doing everything on mobile. You can connect with a tax expert through video chat right from your iPad who can guide you through anything confusing or answer questions specific to your situation. It costs a bit more but might be worth it if you're nervous about switching from desktop to mobile.
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Ashley Simian
•That's really helpful! Would they be able to help with questions about college expenses? My daughter just started her freshman year and I'm not sure how to maximize the education credits.
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Max Reyes
•Yes, they can definitely help with education credits! The tax experts can guide you through properly documenting your daughter's college expenses and help you determine whether the American Opportunity Credit or Lifetime Learning Credit would be better for your situation. They'll make sure you get the maximum benefit based on the tuition paid, required course materials, and other qualifying expenses. They're especially helpful for freshman year situations because they can explain how to handle scholarship money, 529 plan distributions, and how to coordinate with your daughter's tax return if she's filing separately. It's exactly the kind of complex situation where having expert guidance really pays off.
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Mikayla Davison
Has anyone used the TurboTax iPad app for filing with rental property income? Im worried it might be too basic for handling depreciation schedules and expense tracking compared to the desktop version.
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Adrian Connor
•I used it last year for my two rental properties and it worked fine! The app walks you through all the same questions about income, expenses, depreciation, etc. The only slightly annoying part was viewing the Schedule E on the smaller screen, but you can pinch to zoom. Everything transferred correctly to my return.
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Ethan Wilson
I'm in a similar boat - had to sell our desktop computer last year and only have iPhones and an iPad now. From what everyone's saying here, it sounds like there are actually several good mobile options for filing taxes with more complex situations like ours. The TurboTax mobile app seems like the safest bet since you're already familiar with their interface and trust their results. I appreciate @Oliver Cheng explaining that it has all the same features as the desktop version - that's exactly what I was worried about missing. @Taylor To's recommendation of taxr.ai sounds intriguing too, especially the document scanning feature. That would save so much time compared to manually entering all those numbers from W-2s and 1099s. Though I'm curious about the cost comparison between that and TurboTax Deluxe. Ashley, given your specific needs with mortgage deductions, charitable donations, and education credits, I'd probably start with the TurboTax app since you know it works well for your situation. You can always download it and explore the interface before committing to purchase the Deluxe upgrade. The fact that you can switch between your iPhone and iPad seamlessly is a huge plus too. The filing deadline stress is real - but it sounds like you have some solid mobile options to choose from!
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Rebecca Johnston
•@Ethan Wilson thanks for that great summary! You really captured all the main options well. I'm leaning toward starting with the TurboTax app since I'm already familiar with their process and questions. The seamless switching between iPhone and iPad that @Oliver Cheng mentioned sounds perfect for my workflow. I'm definitely curious about the cost difference with taxr.ai too, especially if their document scanning really works as well as @Taylor To described. Might be worth checking out for next year if TurboTax works out this time around. The relief I feel knowing there are actually multiple good mobile options is huge! I was starting to panic thinking I'd have to find a computer somewhere or settle for a basic free filing option that wouldn't handle our deductions properly.
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