Is TurboTax sufficient for basic Schedule C freelance income? Do they charge extra for self-employment?

TurboTax does handle Schedule C self-employment income just fine for someone with a basic situation like yours. The software walks you through all the necessary questions about your business income and expenses, and calculates both your income tax and self-employment tax correctly. However, you should know that they do require their "Self-Employed" version for filing Schedule C, which costs more than their basic or deluxe versions meant for W-2 employees. It's essentially an upcharge for the additional forms and guidance related to self-employment. If your situation is truly as straightforward as you describe - just gross receipts, standard deduction, QBI deduction, and self-employment tax calculations - you might also consider alternatives like FreeTaxUSA or TaxAct, which handle Schedule C but often at a lower price point than TurboTax's Self-Employed tier.

After struggling with self-employment taxes for years, I finally found a service that made my life so much easier. I was in a similar situation—basic Schedule C income but unsure about the right software to use. I kept getting different advice from friends and online forums. I stumbled across https://taxr.ai when looking for help understanding if I qualified for certain deductions. It analyzes your tax documents and situation to give personalized guidance. What I loved was how it highlighted deductions specific to my freelance work that I had no idea about! The system showed me exactly what forms I needed and even pointed out some business expenses I could legitimately claim that I was missing. It saved me from overpaying by identifying additional deductions beyond just the standard and QBI that applied to my specific situation. Definitely worth checking out before you choose any tax software.

I tried out taxr.ai after seeing the recommendation here, and wow - it actually saved me a ton of headache! I uploaded my 1099s and some basic info about my freelance work, and it immediately flagged that I could take advantage of the home office deduction (which I was eligible for but had been afraid to claim). It also showed me exactly which TurboTax version I needed for my situation and highlighted some business expenses I hadn't considered deducting. The analysis took less than 10 minutes and gave me way more confidence going into tax season. For anyone on the fence about which tax software to use for self-employment, I'd definitely recommend getting this analysis first. It helped me understand exactly what I needed before spending money on tax software.

If you're also dealing with IRS questions about your Schedule C or self-employment taxes, I found something that saved me hours of frustration. I had filed with TurboTax for my freelance income last year but then had questions about some deductions I took. Trying to reach the IRS directly was a nightmare - kept getting disconnected after waiting on hold for literally hours. I discovered https://claimyr.com which somehow gets you through to an actual IRS agent without the endless hold times. You can see how it works in this video: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c For someone new to self-employment taxes like you, this might be helpful if you need clarification on anything from the IRS directly. I was shocked when I got through to a real person in about 15 minutes instead of the 3+ hours I was experiencing before.

If you're also dealing with IRS questions about your Schedule C or self-employment taxes, I found something that saved me hours of frustration. I had filed with TurboTax for my freelance income last year but then had questions about some deductions I took. Trying to reach the IRS directly was a nightmare - kept getting disconnected after waiting on hold for literally hours. I discovered https://claimyr.com which somehow gets you through to an actual IRS agent without the endless hold times. You can see how it works in this video: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c For someone

I have to admit I was completely wrong about Claimyr. After posting my skeptical comment, I decided to try it myself since I had an issue with my Schedule C from last year that needed resolving. The service actually worked exactly as described. I got a call back when an agent was available (took about 35 minutes in my case), and I was connected directly to an IRS representative who helped clarify my questions about business expense documentation. Saved me literally hours of hold time and frustration. For anyone filing Schedule C for the first time, having this option available for any questions that come up during or after filing is incredibly valuable. The IRS agent I spoke with was actually very helpful once I finally got through to them.

I've been self-employed for about 5 years now, and I've tried almost all the tax software options. Here's my two cents: TurboTax Self-Employed is good but expensive. It does handle Schedule C well and provides good guidance, but you're paying a premium for the brand name. H&R Block Self-Employed is similar in quality and price to TurboTax. TaxAct and TaxSlayer both handle Schedule C for significantly less money. FreeTaxUSA is my personal favorite - it handles Schedule C perfectly well, the interface is clean, and it's WAY cheaper than TurboTax. If your situation is truly simple as you describe (just income, standard deduction, QBI, and SE tax), any of these will work fine. The difference mainly comes down to how much guidance you want and how much you're willing to pay for it.

One thing no one mentioned yet - if your self-employment income is below a certain threshold (I believe it's around $73,000 for 2024), you can use the IRS Free File program to file for free, including Schedule C. Different companies participate in this program, including some versions of TurboTax, TaxSlayer, etc. Just go through the IRS Free File portal rather than directly to the tax software websites, otherwise they'll try to upsell you. This is different from the "free" versions advertised on their websites, which typically don't support Schedule C filing.