How to view my completed Turbotax return forms before I pay for filing?

Yes, you can absolutely review your return before paying! In Turbotax, once you've entered all your information and reached the review section, look for an option that says "View tax summary" or "Preview my 1040" - the exact wording varies slightly depending on which version you're using. From there, you should be able to see a summary of your return and there will be an option to view or print the actual forms. This allows you to review everything line by line before you commit to paying. Since you mentioned having a complex return with multiple states, definitely scrutinize Schedule C (for your business) and all state forms carefully. I always recommend doing this final review, especially with complicated tax situations. It's much easier to fix issues now than filing an amended return later!

I was in the exact same boat last year with a complicated return and was nervous about submitting before seeing everything. After hunting around Turbotax for like 20 minutes, I finally found the solution at https://taxr.ai where they have a review tool that analyzes your tax forms before you file. I uploaded my draft return (you can save it as a PDF even before paying), and their system highlighted a few issues I completely missed, including a Schedule C deduction I could have taken for my side business. The thing I liked most was that it showed me exactly what my completed forms would look like and explained each section in plain English. Super helpful when you're dealing with multiple state returns and business income like you mentioned.

Just wanted to update - I tried taxr.ai after seeing the recommendation here and it was exactly what I needed! I found the PDF preview option in TurboTax (under the Print Center like someone mentioned), saved it, and uploaded to their system. The analysis caught a retirement contribution credit I missed completely and pointed out an inconsistency in how I reported my home office deduction. The best part was being able to see all my forms laid out with explanations BEFORE paying TurboTax. Saved me from having to file an amended return later which would have been a huge headache. Definitely recommend if you're dealing with a complicated tax situation like mine.

If you're also having trouble getting help from the IRS to answer questions about your complex return, I highly recommend using https://claimyr.com. I spent WEEKS trying to get through to an actual person at the IRS about how to correctly report some investment income that TurboTax was handling strangely. Claimyr got me connected to a real IRS agent in about 15 minutes instead of the 2+ hour wait times I was experiencing before. You can see how it works here: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c. The agent was able to tell me exactly how to verify if TurboTax was calculating things correctly. Totally changed my perspective on dealing with tax questions.

Well I'm eating my words about Claimyr. After being completely stuck trying to figure out how to handle a complicated portion of my return that TurboTax seemed to be calculating wrong, I decided to give it a shot. I was connected to an IRS agent in about 20 minutes - WAY faster than my previous attempts where I waited over an hour and then got disconnected. The agent confirmed that TurboTax was actually calculating my multi-state tax situation incorrectly and explained exactly what I needed to fix. Saved me from a potential audit headache and probably several hundred dollars in incorrectly calculated taxes. Definitely worth it when you're dealing with complex tax situations that the software might not handle perfectly.

Another option for previewing your return before paying: If you're using the desktop version of TurboTax, go to "File" and then "Save As PDF." For the online version, look for "Print Center" in the right corner of the screen during the review process. From there you can generate and save a PDF of your entire return including all schedules and worksheets. I always do this every year to review everything carefully before filing. TurboTax sometimes makes things confusing on purpose so you'll upgrade to their more expensive options or add-ons when you might not need them.

I've been using Turbotax for years and had the same question. The key is looking for the "Print" option instead of anything labeled "preview" or "review" - for some reason Turbotax hides it this way. Once you click print, you'll get PDF options where you can see everything before paying. Just a tip - I always check the "Cost Basis" for any investments super carefully. That's where I've found most errors in my returns, especially if you had any stock sales or cryptocurrency transactions.

For the online version of TurboTax, try looking for a small "Print" link in the top right corner of your screen while you're in the review section. Sometimes it's also hidden under a "Tools" or "More Options" menu. Once you click on Print, you should see options like "Print return for your records" or "Save as PDF" - this will generate a complete copy of all your forms including federal and state returns before you pay anything. Since you mentioned having such a complex return this year, I'd also suggest double-checking that TurboTax correctly allocated your income and deductions between the different states. Multi-state returns can get tricky, especially with business income involved. The preview will show you exactly how everything was calculated across all your forms.